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RICHARD REDDING ANTIQUES |
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RICHARD REDDING ANTIQUES |
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An unusually large and very beautiful pair of Empire gilt bronze eight-light candelabra attributed to Pierre-Philippe Thomire, each composed on a standing classical female figure emblematic of Dawn wearing a star-studded crown, long diaphanous robes and a shawl encircled around her head, supporting in both hands held aloft a ring cast with the signs of the zodiac issuing seven curved acanthus wrapped candle arms issuing a ring of fruits and foliage and a conforming single upright candle arm at centre, each figure balanced with an alternate foot on a sphere and pedestal cast with stiff leaves and mounted on three sides with lyres and foliate motifs, on a stepped square base Paris, date circa 1810 Height 118.5 cm, width 43 cm. Literature: Hans Ottomeyer and Peter Pröschel, “Vergoldete Bronzen”, 1986, p. 328, pl. 5.2.2, illustrating a very similar candelabrum of circa 1810 by Pierre-Philippe Thomire, with a winged Victory but as here with lyre mounts on the plinth. Given their large size, their superb quality and close similarity with other candelabra by Pierre-Philippe Thomire (1751-1843), this pair can be attributed to this eminent fondeur-ciseleur. They also closely compare with a pair of ten-light candelabra by Thomire, each with winged Victories, in the Metropolitan Museum, New York (circa 1810-15; each measuring 127.6 cm high). As here the latter have the same scrolled branch supports, but only the central branch issues a ring of fruits. It is very likely that the present examples, like those in the Metropolitan, were made after a design by Charles Percier (1764–1838) since similar examples were designed by Percier for Empress Joséphine’s boudoir at the Château de Saint-Cloud, where they were identified in the 1805 and 1807 inventories. Percier’s original drawing for his candelabra, entitled ‘Pieces of furniture in a boudoir’, is also in the Metropolitan Museum’s collection (illustrated ibid. p. 328, pl. 5.2.1). What also makes the present pair rather special is the fact that the figures wear star-studded crowns as well as stylised shawls and the ring bearing the branches is cast with signs of the zodiac. While it is assumed that they represent Dawn it should be noted that Urania Muse of Astronomy also wore a circle of stars, usually twelve, in her hair. Thomire, who was born in Paris, began his training under the sculptors Jean-Antoine Houdon and Augustin Pajou at the Académie St. Luc, Paris and then followed his father’s profession as a fondeur-ciseleur. His career was advanced when he studied under the great fondeur-doreur, Pierre Gouthière, from whom he acquired the most refined skills in chasing and gilding, in particular matt gilding ‘dorure au matt’, to produce a subtle grainy satin-like finish. By the late eighteenth century Thomire had achieved considerable renown, having enjoyed the patronage of Louis XVI. Fortunately his position was not jeopardise during the Revolution since he prudently turned to the manufacture of arms and ammunition. After the reign of Terror he returned to making decorative bronzes and thereafter enjoyed the patronage of Napoleon and subsequently the restored Bourbon monarchy as well as foreign royalty and aristocracy. Appointed a maître-fondeur in 1772, he set up his own business in 1776 following a collaboration with Jean-Louis Prieur in the decoration of Louis XVI’s coronation coach. Other royal commissions followed, for instance he supplied gilt bronze chenets with flaming urns and sphinxes for the Louvre in 1786. Having assisted in the making of the mounts for the Sèvres Grands Vases (Musée du Louvre, Paris and Pitti Palace Florence), in 1783 he succeeded Jean-Claude-Thomas Duplessis as chief supplier of mounts for Sèvres, which was an important post and assured Thomire’s future. His pre-Revolutionary success was to be eclipsed by his fame during the Empire; in 1806 Thomire became the first bronzier to be awarded a gold medal at the Exposition des Produits de l’Industrie. He won another gold in 1809, in which year he was also appointed ciseleur de l’Empereur. In response to growing demand Thomire became an associate and then in 1804 purchased the extensive business owned by Martin-Eloi Lignereux, the famous marchand-mercier, formerly associated with Daguerre. Soon his newly named company Thomire-Duterme et Cie was employing a work force of about 800; it had a workshop at rue Boucherat and a showroom at rue Taitbout, from where Thomire retailed a large range of decorative objects inspired by antiquity including candelabra, extravagant centrepieces, monumental Greek shaped urns and clock cases. Whilst a substantial proportion of his work was commissioned by the Imperial household Thomire was involved in a number of collaborative projects, for instance in 1811 he worked with the Imperial goldsmith, J-B-C Odiot in the making of the cradle for the King of Rome after a design by P-P Prud’hon (Schatzkammer, Vienna) and also made bronze mounts for another Imperial cradle (Fontainebleau). In addition he provided a number of fine gilt bronze mounts to the leading ébénistes, such as G. Benneman, F. Schwerdfeger and particularly to A. Weisweiler. Like many Parisian trades, the firm encountered financial difficulties due Napoleon’s continuing wars. In an attempt to avoid disaster Thomire was given a special dispensation to trade with the English Prince Regent but despite this his firm is believed to have declared bankruptcy in 1813. Soon after 1815 the partnership with Duterme was dissolved and under its new style, Thomire et Cie thrived once more under the restored Bourbons. 1823 saw Thomire winning a gold medal for sculpture in Paris as well as his retirement from the firm though he continued to produce sculptures and regularly exhibited at the Paris Salon until 1834. His business was continued by his two sons-in-law up until 1852 though Thomire’s legacy has continued for much longer. |