Pair of candelabra with floral bouquet 19th Century XIXe

A pair of candelabra from the Napoleon III period, circa 1860. Designed as a pendant pair, intended to be displayed side by side, the two figures are intentionally oriented towards each other: one gazes to the right while the other looks to the left, creating a visual dialogue between the sculptures. Crafted in patinated bronze and gilt bronze, and resting on Carrara marble bases, these candelabras present a particularly rich sculptural composition where the architecture of the base, the delicacy of the decorative motifs, and the depiction of the figures combine in a harmonious and theatrical whole.

Each candelabra rises on a cylindrical plinth resting on a circular base of white Carrara marble, a noble material highly prized in the 19th century for its purity and its striking contrast with bronze. The gilt-bronze drum is lavishly decorated with bas-reliefs depicting putti playing various instruments amidst a backdrop of scrolling foliage. These scenes evoke the mythological and pastoral world so dear to the decorative arts of the Second Empire, while also recalling the Rococo and Neo-Louis XV influences frequently revisited under Napoleon III. The register is framed by friezes of finely chiseled acanthus leaves and egg-and-dart moldings, while scrolled lateral brackets visually structure the base.

Above this architectural base sits the main figure: a patinated bronze youth, seated on a naturalistic rock. Draped in a light fabric with soft folds, the figure is depicted in a graceful and spontaneous pose. The posture is elegant and subtly dynamic: one leg extended, the other bent, the torso inclined in a gentle movement that animates the composition. The delicately polished modeling of the body contrasts with the rougher texture of the rock and the gleam of the gilded bronze rising behind it. In his arms, he holds a large, stylized gilded bronze stem that serves as a support for the light. His counterpart depicts a young woman in patinated bronze, also seated on a rock rendered in a naturalistic style. Draped in a light fabric that falls over her shoulder and reveals the fineness of the modeling, she adopts an attitude imbued with gentleness and elegance. Her posture, subtly different from that of her male counterpart, introduces a harmonious variation into the composition: her torso leans slightly while her arms embrace the gilded bronze stem that rises above her to form the luminous bouquet. One of her legs extends gracefully forward while the other bends naturally, accentuating the fluidity of her silhouette. Her face, with its delicate, youthful features, is animated by a calm and dreamy expression. By the opposing orientation of their gaze—one turned to the right, the other to the left—the two figures visually echo each other, affirming the design of the whole as a pair of pendants intended to be displayed side by side, in a perfectly balanced decorative dialogue.

This stem unfolds upwards to form a spectacular bouquet of sculpted flowers, a veritable vegetal architecture characteristic of these candlesticks. The branches intertwine and branch out into a collection of naturalistic flowers—daisies, lilies, and flower buds—mingled with foliage, each finely crafted. The open corollas hold the candle holders, subtly integrated into the heart of the bouquet. This principle of a candlestick in the form of a bouquet reflects the 19th-century enthusiasm for decorative naturalism and for floral compositions transformed into ornamental objects.

The richness of their chiseling, the refined contrast between brown patina and brilliant gilding, as well as the elegance of their composition blending figurative sculpture and floral decoration, make these candelabra a remarkable example of the decorative luxury and craftsmanship of Parisian bronze workers during the Second Empire. Intended to enhance a prestigious interior, they perfectly illustrate the 19th-century taste for spectacular decorative works that are both sculptural and functional.