Thomire Candelabra Pair: Empire Style Gilt-Bronze French Masterpiece

A pair of very fine quality gilt-bronze and bronze candelabra,…
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A pair of very fine quality gilt-bronze and bronze candelabra, attributed to Pierre-Philippe Thomire (1751-1843), French, early 19th century. Provenance: Partridge, New Bond Street, London, circa 1986. The Estate of Judith and Bruce Terry, Teychell, 16 Moule Avenue Brighton Victoria, Australia. These extraordinary candelabra display a myriad of Classical symbolism, so popular in France during the Empire period. The central figures, with arms up-stretched, possibly represent Aphrodite, the ancient Greek goddess associated with love, lust, beauty and passion. Sacred to Aphrodite was the swan which was seen itself as a traditional symbol of beauty and grace in ancient Greece. The swan was also sacred to Apollo, the god of music in Greek mythology and hence the finely matt gilded swans that surmount these candelabra. Cherub trumpeters and rearing horses further embellish these impressive candelabra and it all adds to a sense of victorious heroism that inspired design around the time of Napoleon Bonaparte between 1800-1815. Pierre-Philippe Thomire (1751?1843) a French sculptor, was the most prominent bronzier, or producer of ornamental patinated and gilt-bronze objects and furniture mounts of the First French Empire in the neo-classical and Empire style. The young artisan first appeared in records with a set of gilt-bronze wall-lights delivered for Marie-Antoinette's card-room, which were chased by Thomire. He established his own shop in 1776. In 1783?84 Thomire received his first notable commission, casting and finishing the gilt-bronze handles modelled by Louis-Simon Boizot for a pair of Sevres porcelain vases, which today divide their time between the Musee du Louvre and the Palazzo Pitti. Under the Empire period in France, Thomire purchased fashionable premises in Rue Taitbout, Paris and exhibited at the 1806 Exposition Publique des Produits de l'Industrie, where he won a gold medal. His most prestigious commission was the execution of the cradle for the King of Rome, which was designed by Pierre Paul Prud'hon and in which Thomire collaborated with the Imperial silversmith Odiot. In a second cradle that was commissioned, Thomire alone was responsible. At the height of his business it was estimated that Thomire employed six or seven hundred workers. Under the Restauration, Thomire Duterme et Cie retained the finest clientele, among them Monsieur, the King's brother, the duc de Berry, and as furnishers to the Garde Meuble de la Couronne. Thomire cast and finished a martial allegory sculpted by Louis-Simon Boizot and applied to the upper corners of a secretary desk by Guillaume Beneman, delivered for the King's cabinet interieure at Compiegne, 1787. In a notable commission for Count Nicolay Demidoff in 1819, Thomire produced finely-made figures of Fame with doubled trumpets to serve as handles for the massive malachite-veneered vase now at the Metropolitan Museum. Thomire retired from his firm in 1823. Dimensions: 88 cm high, 26 cm wide

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  • Aphrodite / Venus - In Greek mythology, Aphrodite is the goddess of love, desire and beauty, whilst in Roman mythology she is called Venus.
  • Bronze - An alloy of copper and tin, traditionally in the proportions of about 9 parts of copper to 1 part of tin.

    The discovery of bronze in Western Asia in the 4th century enabled people to create metal objects which were superior to those previoulsy possible because of its strength and hardness, and it has been used throughout the world for weapons, coins, tools, statuary and other decorative items.

    It is very fluid in a molten state, and its hardness, strength when set, and non-corrosive properties makes it most suitable for casting sculpture.
  • Circa - A Latin term meaning 'about', often used in the antique trade to give an approximate date for the piece, usually considered to be five years on either side of the circa year. Thus, circa 1900 means the piece was made about 1900, probably between 1895 and 1905. The expression is sometimes abbreviated to c.1900.
  • Empire Style - The Empire style was a version of neo-classicism popular from 1800 to 1830, coinciding with the rule of Napoleon I from 1840-15. In England the style corrosponds with the Regency style and in the United States to the Federal style.

    The style is inspired by classical Rome and Greece, as reflected in the decorative motifs in the the design such as paterae, guilloches, acanthus and swags, and pieces are lavishly decorated with applied gilded decoration.
  • Apollo - Apollo is the Greek and Roman god of the sun, and patron of music and poetry. He is often depicted with a lyre.
  • Restauration Period - The Restauration period in French history refers to the years from 1815 to 1830. It followed the fall of Napoleon Bonaparte and the end of the Napoleonic Wars. During the Restauration, the Bourbon monarchy was restored to power in France with Louis XVIII as king. This period was characterized by a conservative and reactionary political climate, as the monarchists sought to undo the liberal and republican ideals of the French Revolution. The Restauration also saw the rise of industrialization and the growth of a middle class in France.
  • Gilding - Gilding is a method of ornamentation whereby a thin sheet of gold metal is applied to items made of wood, leather, ceramics, glass and silver for decorative purposes.

    For furniture including mirrors, the sheet of gold is usually applied over a coating of gesso. Gesso is a mixture of plaster of Paris and gypsum mixed with water and then applied to the carved wooden frames of mirrors and picture frames as a base for applying the gold leaf. After numerous coats of gesso have been applied, allowed to dry and then sanded a coat of "bole", a usually red coloured mixture of clay and glue is brushed on and allowed to dry, after which the gold leaf is applied. Over time parts of the gilding will rub off so the base colour can be seen. In water gilding, this was generally a blue colour, while in oil gilding, the under layer was often yellow. In Victorian times, gilders frequently used red as a pigment beneath the gold leaf.

    Metal was often gilded by a process known as fire gilding. Gold mixed with mercury was applied and heated, causing the mercury to evaporate, the long-term effect of which was to kill or disable the craftsman or woman from mercury poisoning. The pursuit of beauty has claimed many victims, not the least of which were the artists who made those pieces so highly sought after today.
  • Attributed - A cataloguing term where the item in the opinion of the cataloguers, is a of the period of the artist, craftsman or designer, and which probably in whole or part is the work of that person.
  • Neo Classical - The period or style, known as "neo-classical", was based on Greek and Roman designs and motifs, and is usually associated with the influence of the four Adam brothers, but principally Robert Adam, the second oldest of the brothers, who were architects and designers, active in the latter half ot the 18th century (1760s to 1790s).

    Born in Scotland in 1728, Robert Adam spent time in Italy studying and his designs are influenced by the finds made during the excavation of Pompei.

    When he returned to England he became the Court Architect to George III (1738-1820).

    In turn, designs by Adam then influenced Hepplewhite.

    Neo-classical ornamentation is characterised by use of classical urns, palmettes, mythical creatures such as the sphinx and griffin, ram's heads, swags, scrolling foliage, and use of the Greek key pattern.

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