Louis XVI Style Chandelier Or Ceiling Light. Bronze, Glass. France, 19th Century.

Louis XVI style chandelier or ceiling light. Bronze, glass. France, 19th century. Gilded bronze ceiling light with transparent glass elements, with sixteen lights in total. Starting from the top, there is a small circular piece decorated in relief, from which emerges an axis that opens into four arms, which leave the center free for a series of faceted glass pieces (which function as a central visual axis) and which descend (note the bronze band with a pearl necklace) to end in a cup. These four arms divide at the bottom, giving rise to plant forms, volutes and architectural details. On the main arms have been placed vase-shaped lighters, from which hang glass drops with pearls; the secondary arms are completed by bronze lighters with plant elements ("cups" on bronze plates, almost resembling a flower emerging from leaves), which have glass saucers, some almost flat and others deeper. It is in this lower area that the hanging elements are concentrated in greater numbers: transparent glass drops, with pearls (sometimes in pairs, sometimes just one), and others in the shape of a flower. From the central point hangs a disk topped with a faceted sphere.
From a stylistic point of view, the piece presents clear influences from the French Rococo of the 18th century: rocailles, contrasting curves and counter-curves, plant elements with marked movement, etc. This influence is frequent in the works of the 19th century, under the name of "Louis XV style". It is also worth highlighting the similarity of the glass elements of the lamp with the works of the Baccarat Company, a company founded with the authorization of Louis XV in 1764 and still in business today, specializing in high-quality glass. During the 19th century and part of the 20th century, it was common for the great Parisian bronziers to use Baccarat pearls in their works (François Linke, E. Colin & Cie, etc.). -
Dimensions: 80x80x132 cm