PAIR OF GOTHIC CANDLESTICKS

This pair of silvered bronze candlesticks embodies the historicist aesthetic that was fashionable towards the end of the 19th century. It combines Gothic and phantasmagorical elements in a richly ornamented and expressively modeled composition.

Each candlestick rests on a profiled base adorned with foliage and stylized floral motifs, crowned by a chimeric creature in full relief, carefully sculpted. One of the candlesticks features an ape-like, demon-like figure in a crouching posture, arms resting on a small scaly griffin. The other represents a feline, muscular fantastical beast in an upright seated position, mouth open and gaze turned upward in a watchful pose. Their coiled, stylized tails rise and form an elegant ornamental counterbalance arc that emphasizes the verticality of the structure.

The sockets are supported by a curved stem decorated with vegetal motifs, grape clusters, and volutes. The candle tubes display an openwork design in the flamboyant Gothic style, with arcatures, small columns, and trefoil motifs reminiscent of a medieval cathedral's windows. The round drip pans beneath the candleholders are also adorned with pierced quatrefoil patterns.

The execution is refined, the details expressive, and the rendering of the animal musculature particularly meticulous. The ensemble displays great mastery in modeling and a marked taste for medieval fantasy – typical of the Neo-Gothic style of the second half of the 19th century.

Good condition, signs of use and wear.

PERIOD: France, 19th century
DIMENSIONS: 17 cm x 8 cm
SIZE: 6.7" x 3.2"