Antique Grand Tour Empire Period Bronze Pen Tray, 19th Century

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Antique Grand Tour Empire Period Bronze Pen Tray, 19th Century

About the Item

This is an elegant antique Grand Tour French Empire Period bronze pen tray, Circa 1810 in date. The beautiful bronze pen tray is of plain oval outline with Vitruvian scroll border decoration supported on four gilt bronze paw feet. Add some classical elegance to your desk with this lovely piece. Condition: In really excellent condition with only minor marks consistant with age and use, please see photos for confirmation. Dimensions in cm: Height 4 x width 26 x depth 7 Dimensions in inches: Height 1.6 x width 10.2 x depth 2.8 The Grand Tour was the traditional trip of Europe undertaken by mainly upper-class European young men of means. The custom flourished from about 1660 until the advent of large-scale rail transit in the 1840s, and was associated with a standard itinerary. It served as an educational rite of passage. Though primarily associated with the British nobility and wealthy landed gentry, similar trips were made by wealthy young men of Protestant Northern European nations on the Continent, and from the second half of the 18th century some South American, U.S., and other overseas youth joined in. The tradition was extended to include more of the middle class after rail and steamship travel made the journey less of a burden. The primary value of the Grand Tour, it was believed, lay in the exposure both to the cultural legacy of classical antiquity and the Renaissance, and to the aristocratic and fashionably polite society of the European continent. In addition, it provided the only opportunity to view specific works of art, and possibly the only chance to hear certain music. A grand tour could last from several months to several years. It was commonly undertaken in the company of a knowledgeable guide or tutor. The Grand Tour not only provided a liberal education but allowed those who could afford it the opportunity to buy things otherwise unavailable at home, and it thus increased participants' prestige and standing. Grand Tourists would return with crates of art, books, pictures, sculpture, and items of culture, which would be displayed in libraries, cabinets, gardens, and drawing rooms, as well as the galleries built purposely for their display; The Grand Tour became a symbol of wealth and freedom. Empire symbols. The Consular period in France began in November 1799 when the Directory was overthrown in a bloodless coup and replaced by three consuls, including Napoleon. This overthrow followed a series of military disasters and insurrections that led to a breakdown of faith in the government. A few weeks after the coup Napoleon was named First Consul. In 1802 he was named First Consul for life and in December 1804 Napoleon crowned himself Emperor. The period of his reign as Emperor, from May 1804 to June 1815, is known as the Empire period. Napoleon, having gained his position through his political and military achievements, used artists, designers and architects to promote and legitimise his regime. He appointed Charles Percier (1764–1838) and Pierre-François-Léonard Fontaine (1762–1853) as the official architects and designers of the Empire period and they became major exponents of the Empire style. Design of the Consular and Empire periods was characterised by militaristic elements – symbols of war and victory, imperial emblems, such as the golden eagle, classical palm leaves and laurel wreaths. These symbols of power made a direct visual connection between the regime and the glory and authority of the ancient Roman emperors. Sphinxes, winged lions and creatures with heads of eagles were employed as table legs and armrests on chairs. Broad, austere surfaces of exotic woods, particularly mahogany, were ornamented with motifs in marquetry and ormolu (gilt-bronze) and the heavy, monumental style of the furniture reflected a grandiose magnificence. Heavy bases accentuated a monumental appearance and symmetry was closely followed. At the height of the Empire period, the style was majestic and magnificent. Napoleon’s Egyptian Campaign brought about a craze in France for all things Egyptian. The detailed drawings of art and architecture published on his return by artist and archaeologist Dominique-Vivant Denon led to the incorporation of Egyptian motifs in the furniture and decorative arts of the following decades. As well as military, Egyptian and Classical imagery, the Empire period also embraced opulence and imagery of love, sensuality and seduction: the swan – one of the forms the god Zeus took to seduce mortal women; the lyre – an instrument of art and seduction; and bows and arrows – the tools of Cupid. Swans, also emblems of Venus and the adopted symbol of Josephine – were employed as armrests or as entire arms of chairs. Aspects of the myth of Cupid and Psyche were also a common theme. The butterfly symbolising both Psyche and the soul was a recurrent motif. Other symbols and motifs of the Empire period included the bee, a symbol of immortality and resurrection, specifically chosen by Napoleon to link his new Empire to the very origins of France, the cornucopia or horn of plenty; images of Mars and Venus symbolising love and peace brought about through military success, and the initials of the Emperor and Empress – N for Napoleon and J for Josephine. The Empire style achieved great popularity and was adopted in courts throughout Europe. In England it was known as the Regency style.

Dimensions:
Height: 1.58 in (4 cm)Width: 10.24 in (26 cm)Depth: 2.76 in (7 cm)
Style:
Empire (Of the Period)
Materials and Techniques:
Bronze
Place of Origin:
France
Period:
1810-1819
Date of Manufacture:
circa 1810
Condition:
Seller Location:
London, GB
Reference Number:
Seller: 091461stDibs: LU950612210473