Pair Of Gilded Bronze Candlesticks / Torchholders, Restored - Circa 1820–1830

A beautiful pair of Restauration-period candelabra, crafted from finely chiseled bronze and gilded with mercury, in the neoclassical style that was still very much in vogue in French decorative arts during the early decades of the 19th century.

Featuring a particularly elegant design, each candlestick rests on a wide circular base adorned with a radiating pattern of stylized leaves. The slender and perfectly balanced shaft features alternating decorative elements: a gadrooned lower section, a prominent motif of lanceolate leaves, followed by a long fluted stem that flares slightly toward the top.

The upper section is highlighted by another wreath of leaves and features a fluted vase-shaped finial, topped by a wide circular cup. The piece as a whole plays on the alternation of smooth, fluted, and richly chiseled surfaces, giving the gilding great depth.

This pair embodies the characteristic ornamental vocabulary of the Restoration period, which retains the rigor and elegance inherited from Neoclassicism while introducing more fluid forms and a more generous use of plant motifs.

Both candlesticks have retained their original mercury gilding, with the warm, deep hue characteristic of French bronzes from this period. Naturally, there is some wear to the gilding, primarily on the parts most exposed to handling. This wear is consistent with nearly two centuries of existence and reveals the underlying bronze in places. It in no way detracts from the beautiful overall appearance of the set and simply attests to its age.

A beautiful, authentic pair from the Restoration period, notable both for its slender proportions and for the quality of its chiseling and its particularly elegant decoration.