REF NO : B76558

Attributed to Maison Beurdeley

A Louis XVI Style Gilt-Bronze Six-Light Chandelier ‘aux Termes’

France, Circa 1880

£36,000

A Louis XVI Style Gilt-Bronze Six-Light Chandelier 'aux Termes' Attributed to Emmanuel-Alfred (dit Alfred II) Beurdeley, Paris. Modelled with three...

Dimensions

Height: 100 cm (40 in)
Diameter: 64 cm (26 in)
REF NO : B76558

Description

A Louis XVI Style Gilt-Bronze Six-Light Chandelier ‘aux Termes’
Attributed to Emmanuel-Alfred (dit Alfred II) Beurdeley, Paris.

Modelled with three caryatid term figures holding spiral branches issuing candle nozzles. The whole executed in exceptionally finely cast gilt-bronze with beautiful matte and burnished gilding. The bowl in blue-painted tole.

The prototype for this chandelier dates to the end of the eighteenth century, is attributed to the bronzier François Rémond and is in the Nissim de Camondo museum in Paris (Inv. CAM 146). Another, dated to circa 1785, is in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York (1972.242).

This example is attributed to the celebrated ébéniste and bronzier Maison Beurdeley, owing to the fine quality of the gilt-bronze and in relation to a drawing for the model which is held in the Beurdeley archives in the library of the Musée des Arts Decoratifs, Paris.

France, Circa 1880.

 

Date

Circa 1880

Origin

France

Medium

Gilt-Bronze

Attributed to Maison Beurdeley

The Beurdeley family were a flourishing dynasty of three generations of fine quality cabinetmakers working from 1818 to 1895. The firm was particularly well known for its exceptional metalwork, most commonly basing their designs on important eighteenth century examples. Their mercurial gilding and hand chasing are often of such a high standard that it is difficult to distinguish them from late eighteenth century work.

The founder of the dynasty Jean Beurdeley (1772-1853) was a Burgundian craftsman conscripted into the Napoleonic army. After hostilities ended in 1815 he settled in Paris opening a shop for curiosités and working as a latter day marchand mercier. Initially based on the rue Saint-Honoré, in 1840 Beurdeley moved to the famous Hanover Pavilion situated on the corner of rue Louis-Legrand and boulevard des Italiens, and the business was run by his only surviving son, Louis-Auguste-Alfred (1808-1882). This successful business, which had numerous official commissions including in 1853 the marriage coffer for the Empress Eugénie, was continued by Louis’ son, Alfred-Emmanuel-Louis (1847-1919).

The business continued in its traditional style with very few variations until 1895. Alfred, along with the most famous artists of the period, took part in the 1878 Paris Exposition Universelle where he won the gold medal. Following on from this glory, he went on to open a shop in New York.

His participation in the 1883 Amsterdam Universal Exhibition drew even further attention to his work, and possibly as a result he was awarded the Ordre National de la Légion d’Honneur, France’s highest official mark of recognition.

The incredible quality of each generation’s work ranked the firm of Beurdeley as pre-eminent amongst Parisian makers of meubles de luxe.

Bibliography:
Ledoux – Lebard, Denise. Les Ébénistes du XIXe siècle, Les Editions de L’Amateur, (Paris), 1984; pp. 75-82.

Mestdagh, Camille & Lécoules, Pierre. L’Ameublement d’Art Français, 1850-1900, Les Editions de L’Amateur, (Paris), 2010; pp.262-276.

Meyer, Jonathan. Great Exhibitions – London, New York, Paris, Philadelphia, 1851-1900, Antique Collectors’ Club, (Woodbridge, UK), 1984 ; pps. 175, 247, 269, 270, 290, 298.

 

Provenance

Collection Pierre Lecoules, Paris.

 

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