Object Description
Very large Napoleon III period Rococo style gilt bronze lantern
French, late 19th Century
Height 176cm, width 80cm, depth 80cm
This exceptional lantern was produced during the reign of Napoleon III, a time known as the Second Empire. During this period, artisans revisited styles from previous epochs of French history, with the Rococo period being a particular favourite. The present lantern is designed in the Rococo style and crafted from gilt bronze. The lantern features a traditionally shaped light box, formed with panes of glass all round. The gilt bronze structure of the lantern is profusely adorned with Rococo style motifs: the bottom of the lantern features a series of scrolling brackets and foliate forms, while the top is adorned with large and ornate brackets and a series of shells, anthemia, and splayed acanthus leaf motifs. The lantern contains four lights.