Maurice Giot Art Nouveau-style "nouille" Bronze Candleholder And Trinket Dish, Circa 1900

Maurice GIOT (1873–1953) – Bronze candlestick / trinket dish – Art Nouveau, “nouille” style – Circa 1900

A rare Art Nouveau-era bronze object with a golden-brown patina, signed by Maurice Giot, combining the functions of a small candlestick and a trinket dish. The composition is built around a very dynamic, supple, and organic line—characteristic of what was then known as the “nouille style”—with long, plant-like curves that seem to grow naturally from the bowl.

The freely shaped, asymmetrical bowl features a relief decoration of holly branches—recognizable by their serrated, prickly leaves—interwoven with floral motifs. The decoration is not merely applied to the surface: it directly complements the object’s structure, with the stems extending into the sides to form a spectacular openwork ascent.

The upper section was designed to hold a small candle. It forms a small base or receptacle integrated into the flow of the volutes, transforming the object into a true table candlestick with a wide tray that can also serve as a trinket tray or hold small items. This combination of function and sculpture fully aligns with the artistic explorations of Art Nouveau creators, for whom every household object could become a complete decorative work of art.

The main appeal of this piece lies in its extraordinary sense of movement. No element is truly straight: the contours hollow out, curl, unfurl, and then fold back upon themselves. This organic architecture gives the bronze an almost lifelike quality and directly links the object to the major naturalist movement of French Art Nouveau around 1900.

This design can be compared to the work of Hector Guimard in furniture and metalwork, Louis Majorelle and Émile Gallé in Nancy furniture and decorative arts, as well as Alexandre Charpentier, Georges de Feure, Eugène Gaillard, Rupert Carabin, and François-Raoul Larche in the fields of sculpture and decorative objects. Giot shares the same desire to blur the boundaries between utilitarian objects, sculpture, and plant motifs.

A variant of this model is held in the collections of the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris. Another variant by Maurice Giot belongs to the collections of the Petit Palais, the City of Paris Museum of Fine Arts, attesting to the prominent place his decorative bronzes held in French Art Nouveau production. Historical literature on the decorative arts also features reproductions of objects from this series, confirming their place within the decorative vocabulary of the early 20th century.

Maurice Giot (1873–1953). Date: circa 1900, Art Nouveau period. Material: bronze. Decoration: holly branches and leaves, floral and plant motifs. Function: table candlestick and trinket dish; the upper part is designed to hold a small candle. Dimensions: approximately 14 × 10 × 10 cm. Signature: Giot, incised on the bottom of the cup. Condition: good vintage condition; natural patina, minor signs of wear, oxidation, and color variations consistent with the object’s age.