An Empire gilt bronze and cut-glass twelve-light chandelier

A very fine Empire gilt bronze and cut-glass twelve-light chandelier, the circular corona surmounted by palm-shaped finials suspending swagged cut-glass drops, above a cascade of drops to the panelled gilt ring with palmette and rosette mounts surmounted by finials and issuing twelve fluted scroll branches with vase-shaped nozzles and circular drip-pans suspending swagged drops and pendants, above rings of graduating tiered pendants terminating a ring of pendant drops

Paris, date circa 1815
Height 132 cm.

Literature: Léon de Groër, “Les Arts Décoratifs de 1790 à 1850”, 1985, p. 259, pl. 483, illustrating a very similar early nineteenth century twelve-light chandelier hanging in Hombourg Castle, Hesse; and p. 257, pl. 480, illustrating another comparable eighteen-light chandelier delivered in April 1810 by Ladouèpe de Fougerais, proprietor of the Cristallerie de Mont-Cenis for the cabinet de L’Empereur, Musée du Château de Versailles, Grand Trianon.
This handsome chandelier typifies examples from the Empire period, comparing with those cited above as well as one featured in a watercolour design by Antoine-André Ravrio, 1810 (Musée des Arts Décoratifs; illustrated in Hans Ottomeyer and Peter Pröschel, “Vergoldete Bronzen”, 1986, p. 358, pl. 5.11.2), which features the same overall design as here including the surmounting palm-shaped finials, a similarly cast ring, scrolled branches and pendant drops below but with the addition of winged putti and a more ornamental interior fitting. Another design for a similar Ravrio chandelier, circa 1810 (illustrated Ottomeyer, ibid. p. 358, pl. 5.11.3) features the same overall style and form but with additional winged lion branches. In 1813 Jean-François Chaumont delivered a comparable thirty light chandelier to the Palais de Monte-Cavallo, which is now in the Grand Trianon, Paris.