Set of Four Louis XV Ormolu Three Branch Wall Lights Circa 1770

An Highly Important Set of Four Louis XV Ormolu Three-branch Wall-lights Circa 1770.

PROVENANCE

Wanecq Ltd, Paris, 1974

The collection of Monsieur and Madame François

Christie's, King Street, London, MONSIEUR AND MADAME FRANÇOIS-A LIFETIME OF COLLECTING, 9th June 2011, Lot 55 (£67,250)

Each wall light finely gilded and chased with a quiver-form backplate surmounted by a flaming urn finial. The scrolling branches with foliate detailing terminating in oval drip-pans and swag-wrapped candle nozzles.

The present wall lights, unusual for surviving as a set of four, represent the height of the taste for neoclassicism in France in the late 18th century. Superbly chased and retaining their original gilding, they relate in part to a series of wall lights published by the ornamentalist Jean-Charles Delafosse in his Nouvelle Iconologie Historique in 1768 (see image for one of Delafosse's designs). Delafosse's designs for vase shapes in particular were hugely influential, versions being made at Sevres and throughout Europe. The finials on the present wall lights are entirely typical of his taste and show his influence. In their landmark work on ormolu, Vergoldete Bronzen, Hans Ottomeyer and Peter Pröschel illustrate two drawings for wall lights by the bronzier and chaser Philippe Caffieri (Vol. 1, p.189, figs.3.10.2 and 3.10.3). These designs, executed in 1768, also have clear affinities with the present wall lights.

These superb wall lights are part of a small group of pieces which feature oval medallions on the nozzles and drip-pans. This decorative motif is a rare one and appears on a small group of wall-lights, with single and double scroll arms, and is also sometimes found in conjunction with portrait medallions on the backplates. All of these wall lights were produced around 1770 and they are all finished with broad chasing of the sort seen on the finest products of this era.

Two pairs of wall lights of related form to the present set were supplied to the chateau de Fontainebleau by the dealer Legendre in 1804. Known as 'marchand d'occasion', Legendre supplied the lights for the bedroom of the Emperor Napoleon but they were apparently soon moved. In an 1807 inventory of Fontainebleu one pair were listed in the apartment of Madame Mère whilst the other is listed in 1810 in the apartments of Napoleon's brother King Louis of Holland (see J.P. Samoyault, Pendules et bronzes d'ameublement entrés sous le Premier Empire, Paris, 1989, p. 126).

These wall lights having impeccable provenance were with the French dealer Wanecq in 1974 and were acquired from them by Monsieur and Madame François. They remained in their collection until sold at Christie's in London in 2011 for £67,250 to an important private collection.

Width: 131⁄2 inches - 35 cm
Height: 20 inches - 51 cm
Depth: 10 inches - 25.5cm