PAIR OF CANDELABRA WITH CHILDREN AFTER A MODEL BY JUSTE-AURELE MEISSONNIER

A pair of Louis XV-style six-light candelabra in chased ormolu, decorated with two children intertwining at the shaft. The curved shaft, adorned with rocaille and an abundance of scrolled and twisted foliage, rests on a circular base chased with jagged openwork foliage. The exuberant, deeply carved forms give a great deal of movement to these candelabras made in the second half of the 19th century. This pair was inspired by a model by Juste-Aurèle Meissonnier (1695-1750).

Juste-Aurèle Meissonnier (Turin, 1695-Paris, 1750) was a French architect, ornamentalist and silversmith. Considered by his contemporaries as the leader of the "Rococo" style, he was one of the artists who had the greatest influence on 18th-century taste. His talent earned him the position of goldsmith and designer to the King of France's chamber and cabinet. His collections, such as the "Livre d'ornements inventez et dessinez par J.O. Meissonnier" (1734), contributed to the European diffusion of the rocaille style. He was one of the first artists to abandon symmetry in favor of uneven-sided designs, coiled or twisted forms, and exuberant shell and plant motifs. The Rocaille style was widely revived and amplified during the reign of Napoleon III. Napoleon III period, Circa: 1860 Dim: W:30cm, D:30cm, H:65cm.