Pair Of Tapered Gilt Bronze Candlesticks, ca. 1799-1804

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Pair Of Tapered Gilt Bronze Candlesticks

Dealer

Kollenburg Antiquairs BV

Price

Price on request

Status

Available

Period

ca. 1799-1804

Material

gilt bronze

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Description

These candlesticks have an unusual austere torch-shaped design. The round base is decorated with palmettes as is the lower part of the stem. The decagone stem converts into the bobèche. Base, stem and bobèche are all divided by rings around the candelabres. The bob`ches are decorated with lotus leafs. The decoration is inspired by motives on Egyptian temple pilars, that were studied and documented by French scientists and sketch artists during the Egyptian campaign (1798) ordained by Napoleon I. Claude Galle made variations on these tapered candlesticks in the form of two pairs of ‘flambeaux carquois’which he made in 1809 for the bedroom of the emperor Napoleon I in the Grand Trianon in Versailles. These candlesticks have similar torch-shapes and ornamental leaf decorations. One year later Galle again made a pair of decagone candlesticks for the Grand Trianon. Claude Galle (1759-1815) was accepted by the Parisian guild as Maître-bronzeur in 1786. From that moment on he worked for the Garde Meuble de la Couronne and made mostly fixtures for furniture. In the period from 1784 to 1798 he use the former workshop of his father in law in the Rue du Four. In 1798 he moved his quickly developing studio to the Quai e la Monnaie that soon after was named Quai de l’Unité. From 1805 until his demise in 1815, Galle’s establishments were on 60 Rue Vivienne. It was a large company that employed 400 people in 1811. During the Directoire (1795-1799) Galle’s company suffered, like most other businesses from the turbulent situation. During the Consulat (1799-1804) and also later during the Empire, Galle was appointed supplier to the imperial Garde Meuble. Galle delivered the greater part of the candelabres and candlestickst for the furnishing of the imperial palaces of Fontainebleau, Compiègne, Rambouillet, both the Trianons, Saint-Cloud, Meudon and the Italian palaces.