Best known for his work at the leading bronze foundry Maison Barbedienne in 1855, award-winning French ornamentalist Louis-Constant Sévin created awe-inspiring decorative objects worthy of the most prestigious houses of European royalty.
Born into a creative family in 1821, Sévin studied design and sculpture under Parisian artist Antoine-André Marneuf at the age of 13. In 1839, Sévin left to collaborate with sculptors Phénix and Joyau and design for famous silversmiths François-Désiré Froment-Meurice and Henri Duponchel. He then moved to London in order to evade the 1848 revolution, where he worked with goldsmith Léonard Morel-Ladeuil to design pieces that were showcased at the Great Exhibition of 1851.
Sévin returned to France that year to design models for Jouhanneaud and Dubois — a porcelain factory in the celebrated Limoges region of France — before commencing what became his decades-long position as an ornamental sculptor with Ferdinand Barbedienne.
For 23 years, Sévin created lamps, mirrors, boxes and more at Maison Barbedienne, which was one of the most revered foundries in 19th-century France, where its proprietor used electroplating to create ormolu. Working alongside chaser Désiré Attarge, Sévin designed Napoleon III-era works that greatly appealed to European nobility, and both kings of Belgium and Holland, Her Majesty the Queen of England, Madame de Païva and the Kremlin all awarded him commissions — this included his work for the final resting place of Prince Albert at Frogmore House in Windsor.
Sévin gravitated toward ancient Greek motifs and his work often mimicked the ornate detailing associated with design in China and the Middle East. An extraordinary cabinet that features Moorish-style arches is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, while his decorative clock designs, such as the neo-Renaissance-style model that earned Barbedienne the Grand Prix in 1878, are especially demonstrative of Sévin’s talent for creating objects with rich cultural significance.
On 1stDibs, find a collection of antique Louis-Constant Sévin lighting and decorative objects.
Antique Gilt Bronze Mantel Clock by Sevin and Barbedienne
By Louis-Constant Sevin, Ferdinand Barbedienne
Located in London, GB
This ormolu clock is an exemplary work by the famous French 19th century metalworker and foundry-owner, Ferdiand Barbedienne. Working with a design made by the acclaimed onamentalist, Louis-Constant...
Ormolu, Bronze
Barbedienne & Sevin - Cantharus Cup / Silver Bronze Vase
By Louis-Constant Sevin, Ferdinand Barbedienne, Désiré Attarge
Located in Beaune, FR
Vase with handles or kantharos cup in chiseled and openwork silvered bronze produced in 1866 by the founder Ferdinand Barbedienne. Model created by the sculptor Louis Constant Sevin ...
Bronze
$14,950Sale Price|21% Off
H 20 in W 19.13 in D 8 in
French 19th Century Louis XV Style Gilt Bronze Cherubs & Rooster Mantel Clock
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A very fine French 19th century Louis XV style gilt bronze and white marble figural mantel clock. The finely chased ormolu body, with its original two-tone mercury gilt, centered with a circular enameled porcelain clock face with Roman and Arabic numeral dials and inscribed 'A. Thomas - Fabt de Bronze - 56, Rue de Turenne - Paris', surmounted with a pair of playful seated cherubs amidst clouds and wreaths, the case crowned with a figure of a Gallic Rooster (Coq Gaulois...
Marble, Bronze, Ormolu
Ferdinand Barbedienne " Diana" Sculpture, 19th Century
By Ferdinand Barbedienne
Located in Madrid, ES
"Diane de Gabies" French sculpture, late 19th century. Patinated bronze with "Ferdinand Barbedienne" foundry marks. Height: 51 cm. Very goo...
Bronze
$15,700
H 5 in W 8 in D 5 in
Ferdinand Barbedienne, A French Ormolu and Champleve Enamel Jardiniere, C. 1870
By Ferdinand Barbedienne, Louis-Constant Sevin
Located in Long Island City, NY, NY
Ferdinand Barbedienne, A French Ormolu and Champleve Enamel Jardiniere, C. 1870, The Design Attributed to Louis Constant Sevin. An exceptional qualit...
Bronze, Enamel, Ormolu
$10,240
H 36.62 in W 15.36 in D 10.63 in
"Florentine Singer" Bronze Sculpture by P. Dubois and F. Barbedienne, Circa 1880
By Ferdinand Barbedienne, Paul Dubois
Located in PARIS, FR
Signed P. Dubois 1865 and F. Barbedienne fondeur Stamped with réduction mécanique Collas A patinated bronze « Florentine Singer » sculpture, inspir...
Bronze
Antique French Louis XV Style Gilt Bronze Mantel Clock
Located in New York, NY
very fine quality Antique French Louis XV Style Gilt Bronze Mantel Clock
Bronze
$52,600
H 26 in W 18 in D 10 in
A Monumental Patinated Bronze Bust of Jesus Christ by Clesinger and Barbedienne
By Ferdinand Barbedienne, Jean-Baptiste Auguste Clesinger
Located in Long Island City, NY, NY
A Monumental and Truly Exceptional French Patinated Bronze Bust of Jesus Christ, Circa 1858, Signed J. Clesinger, Rome 1858 & F. Barbedienne Fondeur This monumental and extraord...
Bronze
$46,000Sale Price|20% Off
H 27.25 in W 22.5 in D 27.25 in
Louis XVI Style Gilt-Bronze Mantel Clock by Henri Picard & Fedinand Barbedienne
By F. Barbedienne Foundry
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A Very Fine French 19th Century Gilt-Bronze Figural Mantel Clock, Horloge à Poser, by Henri Picard and Fedinand Barbedienne - ‘F. Barbédienne & Cie. / A Paris’, after the model by É...
Bronze, Ormolu
Bronze cup Barbedienne
By F. Barbedienne Foundry
Located in Buenos Aires, Argentina
Bronze cup Barbedienne Bronze gilt stripper Barbedienne Foundry Excellent condition with no restorations Origin France Circa 1940 Napoleon III style Founded by former Parisian wallpa...
Bronze
Important Late 19th Century Gilt and Patinated Bronze Mantel Clock
Located in Long Island City, NY
A Large and Important Late 19th Century Gilt and Patinated Bronze, French Champlevé Enamel and Wood Mantle Clock The top figure is of Nike of Samothrace...
Bronze, Enamel
$34,700
H 14.5 in W 6.5 in D 4 in
Extremely Rare Pair of Ferdinand Barbedienne Ormolu and Champlevé Enamel Vases
By Ferdinand Barbedienne, Louis-Constant Sevin
Located in Long Island City, NY, NY
An extremely rare, museum quality pair of Ferdinand Barbedienne ormolu and champlevé enamel vases, circa 1870, certainly designed by Louis Constant Sevin...
Enamel, Ormolu
Ferdinand Barbedienne Bronze Boy & Goose Sculpture 19th Century
By Ferdinand Barbedienne
Located in Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire
A finely patinated French antique bronze by Ferdinand Barbedienne portraying a a young boy caressing a large goose. The figure is mounted on an a...
Bronze
$11,700
H 23.63 in W 7.09 in D 6.5 in
'La Jeunesse' 19th Century bronze sculpture by Chapu and Barbedienne
By Ferdinand Barbedienne, Henri Chapu
Located in London, GB
This fine and exceptionally cast patinated bronze sculpture is the work of two masters of the decorative arts, Henri Chapu (French, 1833-1891) and Ferdinand Barbedienne (French, 1810-1892). Chapu was responsible for the design of the sculpture which is titled 'La Jeunesse' and depicts a young girl swathed in Classical style clothing reaching up to place a laurel branch on top of a wall. The original work was crafted in white marble as part of a monument to Henri Regnault...
Bronze