A Pair of Patinated Bronze Figural Torcheres

A Highly Important Pair of Large Patinated Bronze Figural Torcheres by Émile Guillemin, Cast by Ferdinand Barbedienne.

French, Dated 1872.

Barbedienne Title:  'Deux Femmes, Indienne et Persane'.

Incised 'Ele. Guillemin 1872' and bearing the cachet for 'F. BARBEDIENNE FONDEUR'.

This grand and imposing pair of figural torcheres are of exceptional quality, the figures finely cast with wonderful detail and finely patinated.   Barbedienne made a number of editions of this model in different sizes, the present examples being the largest and rarest.   The models are listed in Ferdinand Barbedienne's 1886 catalogue as Deux Femmes, Indienne et Persane.

Ferdinand Barbedienne (1810-1892) was the inspiration and driving force behind one of the most important French art foundries. He pioneered the use of mounts and, more commonly, bronze sculpture including figures and animals. Barbedienne produced catalogues of bronze reproductions of Greek and Roman classical sculpture and experimented with champlevé and cloisonné enamels during the third quarter of the century.

Barbedienne exhibited several pieces of furniture at the 1855 Paris Exhibition including an ormolu mounted oak dressing table and an ormolu mounted ebony veneered bookcase. Both pieces were executed in his favoured Renaissance revival style for furniture. Furniture with mounts signed by Barbedienne is extremely rare.

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Price on application

This object is eligible for a Certificate of BADA Provenance

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