Pair Of Large "snake" Vases After Pierre Gouthière (1732–1813)

Pair of "snake" vases mounted as three-light candelabras in chiseled, gilded, and patinated bronze.
The ovoid alabaster vases are flanked by intertwined serpents, accented with garlands of ivy.
The necks are decorated with acanthus leaves and gadroons.
They rest on a pedestal with a square base, adorned with friezes of beaded laurel leaves, acanthus leaves, and water leaves.

After Pierre Gouthière (1732–1813)

Louis XVI style, 19th century

Dimensions: Height 84.5 cm x Width 39 cm

Pierre Gouthière, the King’s engraver and gilderTrained successively by the gilder François Ceriset and François-Thomas Germain in gilding and engraving on gold and silver, Pierre Gouthière (1732–1813) perfected the technique of bronze casting, bringing it to its zenith in the naturalistic style particularly favored by a powerful and wealthy clientele. Gouthière’s output was exceptionally prolific right up until the Revolution. A leading figure of his time, Ledoux for Louveciennes and Bélanger for Bagatelle called upon his unparalleled expertise for the respective residences of Madame Du Barry and the Count of Artois—for whom he served as gilder and engraver beginning in 1775. Among his numerous landmark commissions were, among others, his works for the Duke of Aumont, for whom he created many exceptional mountings, and for the Duchess of Mazarin, for whom he crafted a spectacular pair of quiver-shaped wall sconces now in the Louvre (inv. OA 11995-96).