Inkwell In Marble And Bronze Signed F Barbedienne, Model By Edouard LiÈvre

NAPOLEON III INKPINK SIGNATURE OF FERDINAND BARBEDIENNE, SECOND HALF OF THE XIXTH CENTURY SIGNATURE OF FERDINAND

BARBEDIENNE, SECOND HALF OF THE XIXTH CENTURY In rosso antico marble and chiseled and gilded bronze in an ovoid shape surmounted and supported by turtles on a cupel signed along of col F. BARBEDIENNE. Height: 15cm. (6 in.) Diameter 18 cm.

In good condition, 4 small old chips on the edge of the dish and wear to the gilding of the bronze parts.

Edouard Lièvre's inkwell: symbolic object

Endowed with a vast culture and a prolific talent, Édouard Lièvre (1828-1886) juggled with artistic references and dabbled in everything brilliantly: furnishing bronzes, ceramics , furniture with a Renaissance or Japanese influence… Quite naturally, he was led to collaborate with Barbedienne for the bronzes, Christofle for the silverware, and also the Escalier de Cristal, a fashionable novelty merchant of his time. We remember the spectacular and imperial four-poster parade bed created by Lièvre in 1877 for the courtesan Valtesse de La Bigne, now kept at the Decorative Arts… on his contemporaries. The Dragon Turtle is a creature from Chinese mythology that combines two celestial animals: The Turtle and the Dragon. This symbol was placed in palaces to signify peace in the country and longevity to the emperor, placed in houses it signifies high social status, longevity and harmony. The dragon turtle, is a legendary feng shui symbol combining the powers of the dragon and the turtle, which are two of the four celestial creatures endowed with spirituality. Black turtle, green dragon, white tiger, red phoenix: these are the exotic names of the four celestial animals or four guardians of the San He system of traditional Feng Shui According to feng shui traditions, this imaginary creature with the body of a turtle and the head of a dragon is a bit like ki lin (or chi lin): it strengthens and protects its environment through its symbolism. Symbolism is not lacking on the dragon turtle: longevity thanks to the turtle, success and determination thanks to the dragon, wealth and prosperity in business thanks to the symbol of the coins that can be placed under the dragon turtle.