Pair of gilded bronze statuettes representing musical monkeys

Two impressive 18th-century statuettes depicting musical monkeys, masterpieces of the mid-century fashion for "singereries."

Crafted in finely chiseled and gilded bronze, this pair elegantly and whimsically embodies the personification of the monkey, a popular theme in the decorative arts of the Rococo period.

Each monkey is individually depicted, seated on a Carrara marble seat supported by an openwork rocaille base with a rich scrollwork and acanthus leaves. They are animated in a lively and expressive posture, proudly playing music like acrobats, one on the transverse flute, the other on the tambourine. They both wear hats typical of the period; one wears a ruff and a half-draped leg, while the other wears a fringed skirt with a rosette flower motif.

Their position and expression make these representations amusing and decorative objects still highly appreciated today.

They perfectly illustrate the 18th-century taste for satirical and theatrical animal scenes, in which the monkey, a figure both comic and critical, parodies human behavior. "Singeries" thus found their way into aristocratic salons in the form of paintings (such as those by Boucher or Huet), tapestries, but also porcelain or bronze sculptures, refined witnesses of an elegant but equally festive era.

The bronze work of these two sculptures demonstrates the great skill of the bronze artist, playing with each chiseled detail of the bodies to brilliantly define the monkey's skin.

They are also defined by their size of 23.5 cm, much larger than the porcelain monkey pieces.

Louis XV period work in its original gilding
Restored due to use and maintenance

Dimensions: H 23.5 cm x W 16 cm x D 16 cm