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A fine pair of Louis XVI gilt bronze two-light wall-lights each surmounted by a flaming two-handled fluted husk-trailed vase flanked by husk trails and fluted scrolled branches, each with an acanthus-wrapped drip-pan below fluted vase-shaped nozzles, above a tapering panelled shaft with central band of imbricated discs, terminated by a foliate boss
Paris, date circa 1760-65
Height 40.5 cm. each.
Wall-lights of the same form were delivered by the Parisian marchand-mercier Simon-Philippe Poirier to George William Coventry, 6th Earl of Coventry (1722-1809) for his home at Croome Court, near Pershore Worcestershire. Poirier’s invoice addressed to the Earl, dated 9th September 1763 described them as “26 Deux paires de bras à 2 branches à l’antique premier grandeur…a 312…624”. It is recorded that four appliqués and a number of other objects originating from Croome Court, were sold by Christies London 9th June 1991 lots 30 and 31.
The overall style of these fine wall-lights relate to designs by Jean-Charles Delafosse (1734-89), comparing for example with another two-light model in his style, illustrated in Hans Ottomeyer and Peter Pröschel, “Vergoldete Bronzen”, 1986, p. 187, pl. 3.9.6. Individual details such as the use of imbricated disc patterns on the shaft and the overall shape of the nozzles and drip-pans beneath also compare favourably with one of his pen and ink drawings of 1765 for a two-light candelabrum (Musée des Arts Décoratifs, Paris, illustrated ibid. p. 186, pl. 3.9.3). Parisian architect and ornamental designer, Delafosse played an important role in disseminating the ‘goût antique’. From the late 1760’s up until the mid 1780’s he created numerous designs for trophies, cartouches, furniture, vases and light fittings, which were subsequently engraved by various artists and predominantly issued through the print seller Chereau. Delafosse favoured antique forms that often incorporated flaming urns or vases as well as geometrical Neo-classical forms and inverted scrolls. While those elements are apparent here, others such as his preference for heavy scrolls and Greek frets are absent. Delafosse was appointed assistant professor of geometry and perspective at the Académie de Saint-Luc and was a member of the Académie de Bordeaux, where he exhibited a number of his drawings.
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