A pair of Louis XVI patinated and gilt bronze candelabra after a Clodion

A beautiful pair of Louis XVI patinated and gilt bronze figural candlesticks attributed to Louis-Félix de Larue after a design by the celebrated sculptor, Clodion each with a naked young Bacchus wearing a crown of grapes and vines holding in each hand a gilded spiral fluted cornucopia with grapes and vine leaf socket, each figure standing upon a rock, one with vase, tambourine and goatskin by his feet, the other with goatskin and sack, both upon a circular rouge marble plinth with gilded laurel band on a square rouge marble base

Paris, date circa 1780
Height 43 cm. each.

Despite differences in details, the subject, animation of the figures and contrast of gilded and patinated bronze bear close comparison with a candlestick of 1780 by Louis Félix de Larue (b. 1720 or 1731 d. 1765 or 1777) after a design by Claude Michel Clodion (1738–1814), illustrated in Hans Ottomeyer and Peter Pröschel, “Vergoldete Bronzen”, 1986, p. 210, colour plate XXVIII. The latter portrays a young Bacchus seated upon a rock holding curved foliate and berried gilded candle branches.

The design for these specific figures was copied a century later by Eugène Bagues of Paris. In 1880 Bagues published illustrations of these models, ascribed to Clodion, along with a figural clock portraying ‘Génie de la Guerre’. A copy of his illustrated advertisement, in the Musée des Arts Décoratifs is reproduced in Ottomeyer and Pröschel, ibid. p. 422.