A Pair of Louis-Philippe Period Sixteen-Light Ormolu Wall Appliques

Collection / Lighting / Wall Lights

A Pair of Louis-Philippe Period Sixteen-Light Ormolu Wall Appliques

A Pair of Louis-Philippe Period Sixteen-Light Ormolu Wall Appliques

Dimensions: H: 31 in / 78 cm | W: 22 in / 56 cm | D: 22 in / 56 cm

PRICE: £75,000

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DESCRIPTION LITERATURE

A Pair of Louis-Philippe Period
Sixteen-Light Ormolu Wall Appliques
Attributed to Jean-François Denière

Of superlative quality and scale, constructed entirely from fire-gilded bronze with meticulous decorative hand-chasing, planishing and burnished highlights, each wall applique emerging from a circular patera with radiating foliate decoration issuing a single large cornucopia with scrolled end, dressed with stylised acanthus and with a large multi-tiered canopy, the bottom register with eight acanthus-wrapped arms and scrolled ornament, the drip pans with burnished berried olive leaves, the upper register emerging from a lotus leaf corona with a further set of curved arms, the drip pans decorated with stylised flowers.
French, circa 1837

This magnificent pair of appliques with its accomplished two-toned mercury gilding, refined hand-chasing and formal characteristics bears striking similarities to the chandelier made by Denière and delivered to the Tuileries Palace in 1838. The exceptional craftsmanship is evident through studied comparison with another nearly identical chandelier currently with Butchoff, also attributed to the renowned Denière atelier.

Similar appliques, though only counting eight lights, were delivered to the Grand Trianon at Versailles, some executed by Chaumont around 1837, as well as those created by the celebrated Thomire workshop in the same year. Both of these related sets of wall lights, of smaller proportions, are still in the collection of the Mobilier National.

Archival photographs from the Tuileries Palace collections provide compelling documentation of related wall lights that share the same distinctive design vocabulary and scale. The current pair, with their 16 lights, are of a palatial scale not often encountered.

Comparative Literature:

Dupuy‑Baylet MF, Schotter B, pref. L'heure , le feu , la lumière : les bronzes du Mobilier national, 1800-1870. Dijon, France: Éditions Faton; 2010, nos. 154 & 155, illustrating related wall appliques of smaller scale supplied to the Grand Trianon in 1837.

REF No. 10325

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