Pair of Directory period cassolettes/candleholders, circa 1795

This refined pair of late eighteenth century French cassolettes and candleholders in chiseled, patinated and gilt bronze exemplifies the elegant neoclassical taste of the Directory period (1795 to 1799). Designed for double use, each piece transforms from a covered cassolette into a candlestick simply by inverting the lid. The design of this pair recalls the celebrated cassolettes made for Tsar Paul I of Russia by Jean-Baptiste Héricourt (1756 to 1849), a contemporary of Thomire and a distinguished member of the elite cadre of bronziers that included Galle and Ravrio.


These Directory cassolettes are conceived in the form of Medici vases, their tapering bodies adorned with a finely executed bas-relief frieze depicting lively putti dancing with garlands in a rural landscape. Each is fitted with a gadrooned rim and an openwork lid surmounted by a sculpted pomegranate bud and enriched with intricate pierced ornament. When reversed, the lid reveals a candleholder. The handles take the form of elegant looped scrolls rising from acanthus leaves.


Each cassolette stands on gadrooned feet above a square patinated base enriched on three sides with striking Mercury masks, their winged helmets a quintessential motif of the period. These masks are paired with stylised palmettes and crisp foliate details. The base rests on a counter-plinth with a laurel-leaf rim, set upon four flattened ball feet.


These cassolettes embody the stylistic transition of the late eighteenth century, a moment when the art of gilded bronze reached its zenith with remarkable innovation in form, casting, chasing and gilding. The Directory period was one of rapid aesthetic evolution, producing works of exceptional refinement and luxury.


This rare pair is in excellent condition, retaining beautifully preserved mercury gilding.


Origin: France, Directory period circa 1795-1799.

Dimensions: Height 37 cm (14.6?), Diameter 13 cm (5.1?). Size of the base: 10 x 10 cm (4? x 4?).