La Cruche Casee, Antique French Bronze Sculptural Desk Candleholder, circa 1875

This most unusual pair of original 18th century Japanese patinated bronze candelabras, uniquely designed as branches of mountain flowers entangled by a dragon, are mounted on the con...

Bronze, dark-brown patina, unmarked. Measures: Height: 23” Width: 14” The notion of an “American Rococo” seems a contradiction in terms. The very word rococo is as French as Camembert. It connotes a style that reigned along with Louis XV in the aristocratic decadence of the 18th Century. It was garlanded, nonchalant, associated with erotic marshmallow nudes by Francois Boucher and foppish courtiers costumed as shepherds pretending they understood Jean-Jacques Rousseau when all they really wanted was romantic dalliance in the formal gardens of Versailles. In the history of painting it produced but one great artist, Antoine Watteau. By contrast, Americans of the period are remembered as the flinty inheritors of New England Puritans, full of rectitude and having not a moment for furbelow or frippery. Such few painters as were around included hard-nosed realists like John Singleton Copley and Charles Willson Peale. Well, as it turns out, life once again acts according to the principle of paradox. There was an American rococo. It came to us indirectly via England disguised under the name Chippendale. Now for the first time the style receives comprehensive survey in the exhibition “American Rococo, 1750-1775: Elegance in Ornament.” Jointly organized by New York’s Metropolitan Museum and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, it opens here Sundaywith a spread of some 170 works of decorative art and a conscientious catalogue with essays by Met and LACMA curators Morrison H. Heckscher and Leslie Greene Bowman. There are at least two ways of looking at the decorative arts. Connoisseurs appreciate their design and craftsmanship. Those of sociological bent examine objects of material culture for their revelations of history and the temper of the times. Actually neither view is complete without the other. Stylistically the rococo reveals a longing for intimacy in its small scale and an urge to organic nature in its love of stylized vines, tendrils, tiny flowers and seashells. If it were a new manner being promoted by Madison Avenue today it would probably be called “Baroque Lite.” There is an ease about the style that makes it airy, but it has an underlying formality that bespeaks lives of gentrified cultivation rather than beer-bellied sloth. It’s fascinating to examine the flintlock firearms on view and find these weapons of death shaped and decorated with the most exquisite care by wood carvers and metal engravers. All of this is completely consistent with the main currents of 18th-Century European thought. In France, Rousseau sang the virtues of nature and the noble savage like a present-day ecologist. In England, John Locke...

Grand Tour Pair of Bronze Candelabras Late 19th Century DIMENSIONS Height: 10.33 inches Width: 4.75 inches Depth: 4.75 inches ABOUT We present to your attention a pair of stunning...

ABOUT IRIS The iris is a special and mysterious flower. Not only because of its striking appearance, but also from an artistic and historical point of view. It is also like a work of art, as though created by Mother Nature. The unique leaves of this plant not only create wonderful shadow casts, but also look as if they were painted by hand. It's no wonder that iris acts as the muse for countless artists, and can be seen in many famous works of art. The iris was first spotted in the time of Pharaoh Thutmose, in 1504 BC. He had the iris inscribed into the wall reliefs of a temple as a sign of his power, as well as decorating his sceptre with motifs of the flower. Since then, the iris has been a symbol of victory in Egypt. But the symbolism of the iris goes further than that. In Japan, the flower represents courage and is the symbol of the boys' festival. In Islamic cultures, the iris is a symbol of prosperity. In Europe, the flower was a popular weapon symbol in the Middle Ages and stood for chivalry. And in Christianity, the iris was seen as a symbol of the trinity because of its three-part flowers. With more than 300 varieties, the iris is now the most popular flower among growers and gardeners following the rose. Countless artists use the iris in their works and the flower is present in all eras. You can see the flower on furniture, vases, jewelry, fabrics, sculptures, coats of arms and much more. Did you know that the iris is also called the sword lily? It's not a coincidence that it used to symbolize physical and emotional pain and suffering caused by a weapon. We also see the flower in religious art, where it's often associated with Mary and Jesus. The iris is also associated with the Greek goddess Iris, where the flower symbolizes reconciliation and divine messages. This is also reflected in many paintings. Finally, the iris is also visible in Dutch and Flemish still-life paintings. This can be in a religious form, incorporated into an object or as a decorative flower. In the Art Nouveau art movement, the iris (along with other plants, such as the birch) was often used as an expression of feminine beauty. With its almost otherworldly appearance, the iris is perfectly suited to the Art Nouveau aesthetic and is featured in many well-known works of art. The poet of that era, Hermann Hesse...

Article: Brutalist candleholder Origin: France Material: solid bronze Decade: 1970s This original vintage candleholder, was produced in the 1970s in France. It is made of solid bronze, and has a lovely patination due to the age of about 50 years. It is a high quality French production with a fantastic surface structure and sculptural Brutalist optic. With its original formed shape, it can hold 3 candles...

Pair of Antique French Gold Bronze Candelabra, Circa 1865-1875. These candelabra are small in size but beautifully rendered. They could work in any number of places in a home.

Article: Brutalist candleholder Origin: France Material: solid bronze Decade: 1970s This original vintage candleholder, was produced in the 1970s in F...

Pair antique French gold bronze and crystal candelabra, circa 1875-1895.