Object Description
Late 19th-century French gilt-bronze chandelier with sixteen lights
French, Late 19th Century
Height 96cm / 154cm (with chains), diameter 76cm
This sixteen-light chandelier is a French work of the late 19th century, produced at a time when Parisian bronze foundries excelled in the revival styles and supplied a wide range of high-quality decorative fittings. The chandelier is arranged around a central baluster shaft enriched with leaf detail, from which eight arms extend in two registers. The branches are strongly modelled and are finished with shaped drip pans and upright candleholders.
The gilt surface retains an even tone, and the casting displays the controlled, sharp detail associated with established bronziers of the period. The proportions are well judged, allowing the lights to sit comfortably around the central body without overcrowding the structure. It is suspended from a shaped ceiling rose and chain, both consistent with late 19th-century French practice.
The chandelier measures 80cm high and 85cm across, or 96cm / 154cm high including the chain, with a 76cm diameter. Its scale and quality make it appropriate for a range of architectural settings.
Well-made and representative of its period, this example reflects the technical standards and decorative language of late 19th-century French gilt-bronze lighting.