Neo-Rococo Chandelier With Baccarat Crystal Drops

A magnificent multi-tiered chandelier of the Late Historicist period, executed in the Neo-Rococo style and combining a richly ornamented gilt-bronze framework of elaborate rocaille design with an abundant arrangement of cut crystal pendants, garlands and drop-shaped prisms. The composition possesses remarkable decorative expressiveness and creates the effect of ceremonial palace illumination characteristic of aristocratic interiors of the second half of the 19th century. The architecture of the chandelier is structured around an elongated central shaft of transparent glass with profiled baluster-form elements. Eighteen light arms extend from elegantly curved bronze branches adorned with rocaille foliate ornamentation and glass candle cups shaped as blossoming flowers. The upper section is crowned with a decorative canopy embellished with star-shaped pendants and cascading strands of faceted crystal. The artistic richness of the piece is enhanced by the combination of gilt bronze and transparent crystal of various cuts: multifaceted beads, elongated prisms and large drop pendants create a sophisticated luminous composition characteristic of prestigious European interiors of the Historicist period. Marks: Glass elements bearing Baccarat marks. Material: Gilt bronze, crystal, glass. Dimensions: Height 110 cm. Diameter 63 cm. Condition: Good collector's condition. Minor traces of age visible on the metal elements. The electrical system has been completely replaced. Provenance: Estate in the South of France.