Pair of "Rams" Candlesticks, France circa 1870

This pair of candlesticks is composed of a cylindrical shaft in polished rhodonite, set within an elaborate mount of finely chased and gilded bronze. Each candlestick rests on a tripartite base, also in rhodonite, with a trilobed plan that emphasizes the overall stability and balance of the composition.
The upper section is formed by a circular gilded bronze bobèche with a molded profile, adorned with an engraved frieze of stylized geometric motifs. The shaft is encircled by vertical bronze struts, finely chased, extending into curved feet decorated with leaves and stylized hoof motifs.
The ornamentation is distinguished by the presence of ram’s heads sculpted in the round, applied to the upper part of the shaft. From these mascarons spring garlands of fruit and foliage, lending the ensemble an iconography inspired by Antiquity and associated with themes of abundance and strength. The animal heads, with their spiraled horns and naturalistic modeling, testify to a high level of technical mastery.

The combination of gilt bronze and rhodonite, a decorative material rare in European decorative arts, places these candlesticks within the tradition of early nineteenth-century luxury, in the Neoclassical taste. The quality of the gilding, still well preserved, together with the precision of the stone carving, suggests a commission intended for an aristocratic or grand ceremonial interior. The whole displays remarkable stylistic and material coherence, illustrating the alliance between lapidary arts and gilt-bronze furnishings in European decorative arts.