.jpg?w=1)
.jpg?w=1)
.jpg?w=1)
.jpg?w=1)
Lot Essay
Pierre-Philippe Thomire (1741-1843), fondeur-ciseleur-doreur, mâitre in 1772.
Four pairs of wall-lights of this model were delivered in 1809 by Thomire-Duterme et Cie for the château de Fontainebleau: one pair for the Emperor's bedroom on the first floor and three pairs for the grand salon in the Empress' petit appartement on the ground floor, see J.-P. Samoyault, Musée National du Château de Fontainebleau, Pendules et bronzes d'ameublement entrés sous le Premier Empire, Paris, 1989, p. 140, no. 112. They were described on 18 November 1809 as follows:
Mémoire du 18 novembre 1809: Chambre à coucher... une paire de bras représentant un enfant terminé par des feuilles à ornements lequel tient dans ses mains au-dessus de la tête un fleuron d'où sortent cinq branches avec feuilles et rinseaux d'ornements, tout ce qui compose lesdits bras en bronze ciselé et doré au mat ainsi que les enfans... 800. 2 et grand sallon... trois paires de bras représentant un enfant terminé par une feuille à ornement lequel tient dans ses mains au dessus dela tête un fleuron d'où sortent cinq branches avec feuilles et rinseaux d'ornements, tout ce qui compose les dits bras en bronze ciselé et doré au mat ainsi que les enfans à 800...2400 (Arch. nat., ) 515, d. 12, p. 72). A drawing which is very close to the wall-lights is preserved in the collection of the Musée des Arts Decoratifs, Paris (Album Maciet. 93, CD3767).
THE PALAIS D'ARENBERG
The Palais d’Arenberg, also known as Palais Egmont, has an illustrious history dating back to the Renaissance. Originally built as a hôtel particulier between 1548 and 1560 for Françoise de Luxembourg, Princesse de Gavre, widow of count Jean d’Egmont, it was eventually connected to the neighboring palace of her son, Lamoral d’Egmont, during the last quarter of the sixteenth century. The petit hôtel and the grand hôtel d’Egmont, as they were known during the following centuries, eventually passed to the hands of the d’Arenberg family by purchase in the 1750s. At this time, the grand hôtel was renamed hôtel d’Arenberg, while the smaller building retained the name of its original owners. The buildings were modernized and redecorated in the rococo and neoclassical styles by the d’Arenberg family during the second half of the eighteenth century. After the French revolutionaries occupied the city, the ducal family was forced into exile. However, during the reign of Napoleon, the dukes were reinstated and the 1830s saw further renovations of the palace with duke Prosper-Louis d'Arenberg commissioning the architect Tilman-François Suys (1783-1964) to completely redesign the building in the neoclassical style. It is most likely, that these wall lights entered the ducal collection during this period as part of the redecorating. In 1892 parts of the building, including the oldest sections dating back to the sixteenth century, burned down. Reconstruction was carried out between 1906 and 1910 largely based on Suys' plans.
Four pairs of wall-lights of this model were delivered in 1809 by Thomire-Duterme et Cie for the château de Fontainebleau: one pair for the Emperor's bedroom on the first floor and three pairs for the grand salon in the Empress' petit appartement on the ground floor, see J.-P. Samoyault, Musée National du Château de Fontainebleau, Pendules et bronzes d'ameublement entrés sous le Premier Empire, Paris, 1989, p. 140, no. 112. They were described on 18 November 1809 as follows:
Mémoire du 18 novembre 1809: Chambre à coucher... une paire de bras représentant un enfant terminé par des feuilles à ornements lequel tient dans ses mains au-dessus de la tête un fleuron d'où sortent cinq branches avec feuilles et rinseaux d'ornements, tout ce qui compose lesdits bras en bronze ciselé et doré au mat ainsi que les enfans... 800. 2 et grand sallon... trois paires de bras représentant un enfant terminé par une feuille à ornement lequel tient dans ses mains au dessus dela tête un fleuron d'où sortent cinq branches avec feuilles et rinseaux d'ornements, tout ce qui compose les dits bras en bronze ciselé et doré au mat ainsi que les enfans à 800...2400 (Arch. nat., ) 515, d. 12, p. 72). A drawing which is very close to the wall-lights is preserved in the collection of the Musée des Arts Decoratifs, Paris (Album Maciet. 93, CD3767).
THE PALAIS D'ARENBERG
The Palais d’Arenberg, also known as Palais Egmont, has an illustrious history dating back to the Renaissance. Originally built as a hôtel particulier between 1548 and 1560 for Françoise de Luxembourg, Princesse de Gavre, widow of count Jean d’Egmont, it was eventually connected to the neighboring palace of her son, Lamoral d’Egmont, during the last quarter of the sixteenth century. The petit hôtel and the grand hôtel d’Egmont, as they were known during the following centuries, eventually passed to the hands of the d’Arenberg family by purchase in the 1750s. At this time, the grand hôtel was renamed hôtel d’Arenberg, while the smaller building retained the name of its original owners. The buildings were modernized and redecorated in the rococo and neoclassical styles by the d’Arenberg family during the second half of the eighteenth century. After the French revolutionaries occupied the city, the ducal family was forced into exile. However, during the reign of Napoleon, the dukes were reinstated and the 1830s saw further renovations of the palace with duke Prosper-Louis d'Arenberg commissioning the architect Tilman-François Suys (1783-1964) to completely redesign the building in the neoclassical style. It is most likely, that these wall lights entered the ducal collection during this period as part of the redecorating. In 1892 parts of the building, including the oldest sections dating back to the sixteenth century, burned down. Reconstruction was carried out between 1906 and 1910 largely based on Suys' plans.