Antique pair of French Japonisme bronze and marble gueridons

Antique pair of French Japonisme bronze and marble gueridons
French, c. 1880
Height 85cm, diameter 70cm
 
Attributed to the celebrated French designer Édouard Lièvre (1828-1886), this elegant pair of guéridons exemplifies the height of 19th-century Japonisme. Lièvre was particularly admired for his ability to interpret Japanese artistic traditions through a European lens, a skill that reached its peak in his furniture designs created for Albert Vieillard (d. 1895), the influential director of the Bordeaux porcelain manufactory.
 
The growing fascination with Japanese art in Europe emerged during the mid-19th century, following Japan’s reopening to international trade after centuries of isolation under the sakoku policy. Japanese decorative objects and motifs quickly captured the imagination of Western collectors, becoming widely exhibited and eagerly acquired through a flourishing new market.
 
These guéridons share a matching design, each crowned with a circular rouge marble top. Beneath the surface runs a finely cast ormolu band, from which four patinated bronze supports project and flow downward toward the legs. Two of these supports are accented with circular hoops, introducing movement and sculptural complexity to the form. At the centre, a pierced, stepped oval stretcher is surmounted by a finely modelled komainu - a traditional Japanese lion-dog figure associated with protection and the dispelling of negative forces.
 
The shaped feet are enriched with a combination of gilded and patinated bronze mounts, reinforcing the unity of the overall design while showcasing the exceptional quality of craftsmanship.
 
Distinctive, decorative, and attributed to a highly regarded maker, this superb pair of guéridons offers a rare opportunity to acquire an outstanding example of Japonisme furniture from the late 19th century.
 
Artist/Maker: Édouard Lièvre