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RICHARD REDDING ANTIQUES |
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RICHARD REDDING ANTIQUES |
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A superb pair of Louis XVI gilt bronze and bleu turquin marble candelabra, each formed as a bleu turquin quiver issuing gilt bronze arrow feathers, the quiver mounted at the top with a lattice and pearl rim above a ring of acanthus leaves above upright supports each headed by similar foliate sprays above a burnished ring issuing three scrolled candle branches each terminated by a vase-shaped candle holder with lower foliate body above a gadrooned drip-pan, the candle branches above splayed tripod supports ending in Greek key and patera cast feet, the quiver on a stiff leaf cup above a pinecone boss on a patera inset within the circular alternating polished and burnished base Paris, date circa 1781 Height 44 cm. each. Literature: Daniel Alcouffe, Anne Dion-Tenenbaum, and Gérard Mabille, “Gilt Bronzes in the Louvre”, 2004, pp. 247-251, no. 124, illustrating and discussing a pair of wall-lights of very similar design by Pierre Gouthière, 1781 for the duchesse de Mazarin, now in the Musée du Louvre, Paris. Of exceptional quality and unusual design these beautiful candelabra can be attributed to the esteemed Parisian fondeur-doreur Pierre Gouthière (1732-1813), who created a very similar pair of wall-lights to adorn the Grand-Salon of the duchesse de Mazarin’s Paris mansion on Quai Malaquais (formerly the Hôtel de la Roche-sur-Jean and subsequently the site of one the buildings of the Ecole des Beaux-Arts). The property had been acquired in 1767 by the duchesse, who had been separated from her husband Louis-Marie-Guy d’Aumont (son of the famous patron and collector the duc d’Aumont). In 1777 Gouthière received a commission to supply very ornate decorations for a chimneypiece, a console (now in the Frick Collection, New York) and two pedestals for the Grand-Salon which he supplied in 1781 along with the aforementioned wall-lights. They like the present candelabra feature a quiver full of arrows of very similar form but instead of bleu turquin the body is of a deep blue patinated bronze while the candle branches are enveloped in poppy sprays. Of particular significance is the fact that, as here, the pedestals, console and chimneypiece all incorporated bleu turquin; this was a particularly unusual material to use in the creation of candelabra but accords well with other works by Gouthière for the duchesse’s residence. Another significant detail that not only distinguishes these Neo-classical works but also helps confirm the attribution to Gouthière is the use of burnished matt gilding, for instance on the upright stems and in the Greek key motifs that perfectly offset areas that are highly polished. Gouthière, a master chaser invented this new type of gilding known as dorure au matt, to produce a subtle grainy satin-like finish, which he subsequently taught to his most distinguished pupil Pierre-Philippe Thomire. Of fairly humble origins, Gouthière was the son of a saddle maker who by the late 1770’s rose to become one of the greatest Parisian bronziers. Like a number of successful apprentices he married the widow of his first employer and consequently took over his business. In 1767 he was appointed doreur du roi to King Louis XV and supplied works to the marquis de Marigny, d’Artois and also the marchand-mercier Dominique Daguerre. In addition to candelabra, wall-lights, chandeliers, vases, furniture and chimney pieces, Gouthière also created a variety of luxury pieces including clock cases (notably the ‘Avignon’ clock in the Wallace Collection) and mounts for porcelain and marble vases. Success enabled him to lead an extravagant life style but after 1775 his finances began to suffer when certain ventures collapsed and two of his main patrons died. This and the 750,000 livres owed to him by Madame du Barry for nearly 20 years work finally forced him into bankruptcy, 1788. Despite his earlier success his work is very rare while the magnificent Avignon clock in the Wallace is the only known piece by him to have been signed. |