A Pair Of 19th Century Candelabra, Napoleon III Period

These finely cast 19th century figurative candelabras were crafted from gilt and burnished bronze, each mounted on Belgian black marble bases and signed by Charles Cumberworth. The sculptures are inspired by African villagers. The female figure wears a headscarf and loose dress holding aloft a vase of water, while the male figure is shown shirtless holding a hat in his hand, an ax at his waist and holding a basket aloft of fruits. The fruit basket and the vase are used as a base, from which come the arms inspired by the banana tree and flowers, creating 5 candle holders with small golden elements. In the 19th century, bronze was preferred over other materials because of the casting process and its ability to achieve both detail and consistency. The candelabra has been made by applying patina and heat to achieve the desired finish, this technique is commonly used to allow the bronze to age naturally as it is exposed to the elements. Charles Cumberworth Charles Cumberworth was a French sculptor from the first half of the 19th century. According to Gunnis, Cumberworth appears to have been born in the United States to an English father and a French mother, then was brought to Paris as a child, where he studied sculpture under Jean-Jacques Pradier (1792 -1852) from around 1829 at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Paris. In Paris, this proved difficult, as his parentage was not only the cause of his disqualification as a winner of the Prix de Rome in 1836, but also the awarding of three minor state commissions. After entering the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in 1829, he began to exhibit at the Salon and continued until 1848. Charles Cumberowrth's most famous sculptures are "L'Amour de soi" at the Museum of Fine Arts in La Rochelle and “Lesbia and her sparrow” in Paris at the Louvre Museum. Jean-Jacques Pradier, with whom Cumberworth studied, is also a well-known sculptor and among his best works are the figures of fame in the spandrels of the Arc de Triomphe as well as decorative figures at the Madeleine in Paris.