Signed Claude François Rabiat - Magnificent Pair Of Empire Period Candelabra With Victories

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An exceptional pair of gilt and patinated bronze four-light Empire candelabra adorned with elegant winged female Victories, signed under the bases by the renowned bronzier Claude François Rabiat (1756–1815). Rabiat, a master craftsman of his time, frequently collaborated with Paris’s foremost bronzier, Pierre-Philippe Thomire. The figures, draped in classical robes, hold cornucopia-shaped branches that gracefully rise into four candle holders.


A pair of these candelabra is housed in the Musée Marmottan Monet, Paris (see last photo), and another identical pair resides in the Château de Valençay. This historic château, described by George Sand as “one of the most beautiful on earth,” was once the residence of the d’Estampes and Talleyrand-Périgord families. It was famously acquired in 1803 by Napoleon’s foreign minister, Charles Maurice de Talleyrand, to host distinguished foreign dignitaries.


These candelabra exemplify the finest of French Empire artistry, portraying Victory figures poised with one foot on a sphere, which is supported by exquisitely detailed columns. The entire composition rests on a stepped, quadrangular base. The figures’ balance and classical elegance evoke inspiration from Roman antiquity, such as a comparable model of Victory upon a sphere now held in the National Art Collection, Kassel. This motif was popularised within Empire design by Napoleon’s eminent architects and designers, Charles Percier (1764–1838) and Pierre François Léonard Fontaine (1762–1853).


Our pair, which is in exceptional condition,  is distinguished by its impressive size, particularly the proportion of the sculptures, and by the extraordinary quality of its craftsmanship. The fine chiseling and the original mercury gilding are exceptionally well-preserved, making these candelabra a masterpiece of Empire period bronzework.


Origin: Paris circa 1810.

Dimensions: Height: 64 cm (25.2″), Width: 33 cm (13″), Depth: 19 cm deep (7.5″). Square base: 13 x 13 cm (5.1″ x 5.1″).


Claude François Rabiat (1756-1815)
Claude François Rabiat was one of Paris’s most esteemed bronze gilders and craftsmen. He began his apprenticeship under Etienne Vignerelle in 1769 and earned his master’s title as a gilder of metals in 1778. Operating a prominent workshop on Rue Beaubourg, Rabiat supplied exceptional bronzework to merchants, leading clockmakers such as Bailly and Lépine, and esteemed bronziers, including Pierre-Philippe Thomire and Claude Galle. He also fulfilled commissions for the imperial furniture depot. After his death in 1815, his sons continued the family legacy under the name Rabiat Frères, before pursuing individual ventures in 1819.


Literature
- Collection of Musée Marmottan Monet, Paris, France.
- Collection of Château de Valençay, France.
- Denise Ledoux-Lebard, “Rabiat fournisseur des grands bronziers et marchands de l’époque impériale”, L’Estampille l’Objet d’Art, n° 246, p.86.
- Pierre Bergé, Paris, July 2016, where an identical pair appeared in auction.