Pair Of Empire Candelabra “ Leda And The Swan ” - Circa 1815

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A magnificent pair of Empire candelabra with six lights in chiselled and gilt bronze, each featuring a cylindrical base adorned with a depiction of Leda and the Swan. Their unique design makes this a highly beautiful, very rare, and sought-after model. Resting upon the base is a swan with outstretched wings, its tail elegantly extending into a large curved cornucopia, from which emerge six scrolling branches supporting candleholders. This pair follows closely a design of Pierre-Philippe Thomire, who also created other candelabra featuring swans with similar quality and style of the finely chiselled bronzes.


Each candelabrum boasts a uniquely designed curved and fluted shaft, forming a cornucopia wrapped in acanthus leaves and crowned with a basket of fruit. From this emerge five scrolling acanthus-wrapped branches and one central branch, each ending in an elegantly decorated, vase-shaped candleholder resting on a drip pan. The main curved shaft extends from the tail feathers of the swan, whose gracefully arched neck echoes the sinuous lines of the conjoined shaft.


Each swan is positioned atop a cylindrical base, encircled by decorative reliefs of Leda and the Swan, along with a small winged Eros holding his attributes—a bow and arrow, as well as a flaming torch. The back of the base is adorned with bulrush reeds by the waterside. Leda is a figure from Greek mythology who was pursued by Zeus, the Olympian king of the gods, after he became enamoured with her. One day, Zeus took the form of a swan and seduced her.


Swans gained prominence in decorative arts from the Consulate period onwards and became a significant motif in the early 19th century. Frequently found on the armrests of chairs and the headboards of beds, they also adorned bronze furniture, wall lights, clocks, and, as seen here, candelabra. Empress Joséphine particularly admired these birds and even ordered black swans from the Bass Strait for the park at Malmaison. Inside the palace, her bedroom suite featured a gilded bed decorated with cornucopias and swans at its foot. The motif also appeared on a bed designed by Louis-Martin Berthault for Madame Récamier, crafted by Jacob-Desmalter around 1799 (now housed in the Musée du Louvre). Additionally, swans were incorporated into the decorative scheme of the Hôtel de Beauharnais, commissioned for Prince Eugène in 1803.


This truly rare pair of French Empire candelabra showcases exceptional craftsmanship. The candelabra retain their original mercury gilding and they are remarkably well-preserved, representing an outstanding example of the period.


Origin: Paris circa 1815.

Dimensions: 69 cm (27″) high, 27.5 cm (10.8″) wide and 27 cm (10.6″) deep.
Size of the square base: 13 x 13 cm (5.1″ x 5.1″).


Literature
- Odile Nouvel-Kammerer, “L’aigle et le papillon : Symbole des pouvoirs sous Napoléon 1800-1815”, Les arts décoratifs, Paris, 2007.
- Jörg Ebeling and Ulrich Leben, “Le Style Empire, l’hôtel de Beauharnais à Paris”, Flammarion, Paris, 2016.