Marble Candelabra Base. Northern Italy, 16th Century.

This large marble artifact is an example of Lombard classicism of the Italian 16th century. The sculpture is characterized by several decorative orders. The base is carved with three leonine legs alternating with bas-reliefs depicting a gridiron and two Renaissance vases (or fountains); above it rests a conical section carved with acanthus leaves.

Rising from the base is an elegant small column, also decorated with vegetal motifs. The top features a bas-relief carved in the shape of a shield, at the center of which is a heraldic coat of arms with two wings, all supported by an elaborate bow. Although the entire sculpture is made of marble, the soft lines and the sinuous shape of the upper section convey a sense of lightness and harmony.

This ancient sculpture is distinguished by the typical motifs of the Lombard Renaissance and, more generally, of northern Italy, which draw upon the stylistic principles of classical art rediscovered thanks to the flourishing of humanist culture between the 15th and 16th centuries.