French, 19th Century Versailles Style Figural Torchère with Side-by-Side Putti

A very fine pair of French 19th-20th century neoclassical style patinated cast iron figural torchères by A. Durenne, Paris, each representing a figure of a standing young maiden, her arms raised forward while holding a a flaming urn gas light (Now electrified) with a frosted glass flame, each raised on a veined grey marble column stand, both cast-signed 'A. Durenne, Paris'. Antoine Durenne was an internationally renowned French art founder. He attended École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts in 1842. Durenne purchased a small foundry in Sommevoire, near the Val d'Osne, Haute-Marne, France and established The Durenne firm, circa Paris, 1900. Cast-iron had been in production during the 18th century but its inferior status to the more fashionable and delicate wrought iron had generally confined its use to architectural work. By the early 19th century, however, rapid developments of the Industrial Revolution combined with the simultaneous burgeoning of a new middle class provided the impetus for a dramatic Expansion in its application and in a short space of time a proliferation of iron foundries across Europe and America thrived on the production of everything from inkstands to railway stations. The use of cast-iron for garden ornament became particularly widespread at this time, as the possibilities for its mass-production at a fraction of the cost of bronze made it the material of choice for outdoor statuary...

A very fine and palatial French 19th-20th century allegorical figural cast-iron group torchere - sculpture - fountain - representing spring and the harvest, probably cast by Le Fonderies d'Art du Val d'Osne. The charming four-putti sculpture with a front standing putto holding a pole amongst wheat stalks, another putto kneeling and collecting wheat, a third one wearing a hat and picking flowers for a wreath and the fourth kneeling putto holding a bird's nest, all below an elongated classical stem with a glass globe (Electrified), circa: Paris, 1900. Overall height: 84 inches (213.4 cm). Width: 29 1/2 inches (74.9 cm). Circular base diameter: 24 inches (61 inches). Cast-iron had been in production during the 18th century but its inferior status to the more fashionable and delicate wrought-iron had generally confined its use to architectural work. By the early 19th century, however, rapid developments of the Industrial Revolution combined with the simultaneous burgeoning of a new middle class provided the impetus for a dramatic expansion in its application and in a short space of time a proliferation of iron foundries across Europe and America thrived on the production of everything from inkstands to railway stations. The use of cast-iron for garden ornament became particularly widespread at this time, as the possibilities for its mass-production at a fraction of the cost of bronze made it the material of choice for outdoor statuary...

A fine and Large French 19th-20th century Louis XV Style Belle Époque gilt bronze four-light torchère with Laurel Wreaths with white opaline glass globes, raised on a two-tone circul...

A Large and Palatial French 19th century Louis XIV style gilt bronze and panelled bevelled glass "Versailles" style single grand hall hanging lantern. The elongated and wide body sur...

French 19th century bronze gilt putti A set of bronze putti figures on a square marble base. A torch and a flute carrying putti, which are graceful objec...

Endearing patinated bronze sculpture depicting a young putti sitting on a pair of cushions and. supported by a D'ore bronze base with floral motif designs. Signed "Des Coustou" and a...

19th Century French Victorian cast iron allegorical fountain figure of a putti seated on an overturned amphora while holding a paddle.  

This very fine patinated bronze figural torchere modeled as a classically clad female musician holding a mandolin and a marble torch. This symbolic representation of Music, falls within Coutan’s allegorical work. We have a number of marble pedestals this Torchere would stand on. Inscribed on base: Coutan, Thiébaut Frères, Fondeurs. Jules-Félix Coutan (22 September 1848 – 23 February 1939) is considered to be one of the most gifted French sculptors and designers of the 19th and early 20th centuries Coutan studied under the renowned Pierre-Jules Cavelier at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Paris, and was awarded the Prix de Rome in 1872; after his return to Paris he executed the fountain group France Bearing the Torch of Civilization for the Exposition Universelle (1889), one of the two prominent sculptural commissions for the Exposition grounds.[1] Later he taught at the École des Beaux-Arts from 1900, where he expressed his disdain for the researches of Rodin— fumiste—[2] and the Impressionist sculptors who followed him. Coutan was elected to the Académie des Beaux-Arts in 1905.[3] Coutan is best known in the United States for the sculptural group above the entrance to Grand Central Terminal in New York City. For Grand Central Terminal, Coutan was contracted to provide a quarter-size scale plaster model of the three-figure allegorical Transportation group, which he developed from 1911 through 1914. The carving was performed by the William Bradley & Son of Long Island City.[4] Among Coutan's students were Hippolyte Lefèbvre, Raymond...