VC-07-64

France, c. 1780
gilt bronze
Electrified

During the second half of the 18th Century, classical antiquity was seen as a means to create a style more rational and noble than the Rococo. The fives arms of these large and precious Neoclassical sconces are adorned by acanthus scrolls. This classical ornament is based on the thick and scalloped leaves of the Acanthus plant, found on the capitals of Corinthian columns.
The arms of each sconce are supported by a finely rendered rams head. This motif was also used originally in antiquity, revived as an ornamental device during the Renaissance and during the Neoclassical period of the late 18th Century. This pair of ormolu sconces is a fabulous example of the highest and finest quality of the French Neoclassical Period.

Ormolu or gilt bronze is an 18th Century English term for applying finely ground, high carat gold to an object in bronze. Actual ormolu pieces are very rare as they were no longer produced after the 1830s because of their high cost and health risk. The gilding process is known as fire or mercury gilding, in which a solution containing mercury and gold dust is applied to a piece of copper or bronze and then exposed to extreme heat until the mercury burned off and the gold remained. Most mercury gilders died by the age of 40 due to exposure to harmful mercury fumes. These valuable objects were produced by fondeurs-chiseleurs – their work was just as fine as jeweler’s work. The actual bronze form was cast by the lost wax method and then chiseled and chased to add detail, done with extraordinary skill and delicacy to create finely varied surfaces.

Height: 24.5"
Width: 13.5"