Appliques à La Grecque d'époque Louis XVI En Bronze Doré, D’après J.l Prieur Vers 1770. "

Louis XVI Period Greek Wall Lamps In Gilt Bronze, After J.l Prieur Around 1770. " Series of three Greek style sconces, after J.L Prieur circa 1770. Beautiful and large "Greek style" wall lights in finely chiseled bronze and gilded with mercury. Barrels in the shape of fluted quivers and rudentés with asparagus. Falls of laurel garlands nailed to the front and to the sides of the barrels. The two sconces, starting with acanthus foliage, support the twisted fluted cups where the bobeches are attached. The edges of the quivers delimited by Greek friezes and topped with steaming casseroles draped in the antique style. Very good state of preservation, great qualities of carving and gilding. Parisian work, after drawings by Jean Louis Prieur, late Louis XV period circa 1770. Height: 47 cm; Width: 28 cm Jean-Louis Prieur (1732-1795) Coming from a family of craftsmen specializing in the decorative arts, Jean-Louis Prieur became a master sculptor at the Académie de Saint-Luc in 1765 then a master foundry "in earth and sand" in 1769. But not having the necessary equipment. when the pieces are melted, he exercises, like many of his colleagues, the profession of "founder and chaser". In the 1770s, Jean-Louis Prieur became one of the first professional designers. He draws models for bronze with pen and black ink and for engraving. None of his works are signed by hand. In 1778, his foundry and chaser workshop went bankrupt, he became an onemanist. Preparatory drawings very close to Jean Louis Prieur are kept at the Getty Museum in Los Angeles and published on pages 172 and 173 of Hans Ottomeyer's book “Vergoldete bronzen”. Similar models: Louvre Museum Decorative arts museum of Lyon Württembergisches Landesmuseum in Stuttgart Stockholm royal palace Similar models but with three branches: Series of four at the Petit Trianon in Versailles Drottningholm Palace (Sweden) As with all its models, Jean Louis Prieur offers many variations for this type of arm light. If the quiver barrel and the shape of the branches are always preserved, the number of lights varies from two to five, the antique casseroles can replace the fire pots and goat heads or medallions with emperor profiles can adorn the barrels. or the basics. A pair of sconces of this type can be seen in the background of the painting "the marquis de Marigny and his wife" kept at the Louvre (RF1994-17) and painted by Louis-Michel Van Loo in 1769. Brother of the Marquise de Pompadour, Abel-François Poisson de Vandières (1727-1781), Marquis de Marigny (1754) and de Menars is director and general manager of buildings, gardens, arts, academies and royal manufactures. A great lover of art, he is very much ahead of the fashion of his time. Returning from a long stay in Italy, he will be one of the great architects of the return to the ancient and the new "Greek taste", with a collaboration with Pierre Garnier in particular and deliveries from 1766. It is therefore not surprising to see this model present in its interior in 1769. We can assume that this model was very fashionable between 1770 and 1775, to the point of being exported to many countries in Europe.