Pair Of Louis XVI Style Gilt Bronze Flambeaux, After Jean-démosthène Dugourc (1749–1825)

Pair of Louis XVI Style Gilt Bronze Flambeaux, after Jean-Démosthène Dugourc (1749–1825) and François Rémond (master in 1774)

This rare and exquisite pair of flambeaux, crafted in finely chased and period-gilt bronze, embodies the perfect union of Neoclassical art and early 19th-century Parisian craftsmanship. Inspired by a 1790 drawing by Jean-Démosthène Dugourc (Musée des Arts Décoratifs, Paris), this model reflects the collaboration between the ornemaniste and the chaser-gilder François Rémond, whose technical mastery is showcased here.

Detailed Description:
The slender shaft is adorned with three feminine terms, each featuring Louis XIV-style masks on the chest and delicate floral garlands. The terms conclude with sandaled feet, while the base, decorated with acanthus leaves and a beaded frieze, supports an antique-style vase forming a binet. The period gilding, of exceptional quality, reveals meticulous goldsmithing work.

Historical and Artistic Context:
Dugourc, a designer for the Garde-Meuble de la Couronne and intendant of Monsieur’s buildings (brother of Louis XVI), left his mark on the era with a repertoire blending antique revival and natural inspiration. His influence extended from Camille Pernon’s textiles to Gouthière’s and Thomire’s bronzes, and Georges Jacob’s furniture. This model echoes pieces held at Pillnitz Palace (Dresden) and the Wallace Collection (London), where two other flambeaux, commissioned by the marchand-mercier Dominique Daguerre, illustrate this same collaboration.

A similar model, created for Marie-Antoinette in 1781 for the Méridienne at Versailles, also belongs to this artistic tradition, featuring feminine terms resting on a base adorned with dolphins.

Dimensions:

Height: 12 ¾ in (32.5 cm)

Base diameter: 5 ¾ in (14.5 cm)

Bibliography:

A. Gruber, Decorative Art in Europe: From Neoclassicism to Art Deco, p. 94

P. Hughes, The Wallace Collection: Catalogue of Furniture, p. 1247–1263

H. Ottomeyer, Vergoldete Bronzen, vol. 1, p. 286, ill. 4.15.2