Ref. 2156

H. Picard

Bronze-caster (active from 1831 to 1864)
(attributed to)

 « Bacchantes » gueridon

France
Circa 1860

Gilded bronze, Malachite

Height : 80,5 cm (31,7 in.) ; Diameter : 104 cm (40,9 in.)

Rare circular gueridon resting on a tripod base in finely chiseled and gilded bronze, supporting a matched Ural malachite top, circled by a frieze of water leaves and pearls.
The base is composed of three bacchantes executed fully in the round, presented as caryatids and joined together by leafy scrolls and cartouches adorned with mascarons. The figures, with their slender proportions and idealized anatomy, adopt a dynamic posture, their raised arms supporting the band beneath the top.
The triangular base with rounded angles is enriched with neoclassical motifs such as palmettes, gadroons, and acanthus leaves.

Through the exceptional quality of the casting, the finesse of the chasing, and the masterful balance between sculpture and decorative architecture, this gueridon belongs to the tradition of mid-19th-century Parisian state furniture. It may be attributed to the bronze-maker Henri Picard, whose workshop distinguished itself by works of extreme refinement intended for an aristocratic and international clientele, and by a learned reinterpretation of Antique and Renaissance models characteristic of the eclectic taste of the Second Empire.

Biography

Henri Picard (active 1831-1864), gilder and bronzemaker, settled in Paris at 6 rue de Jarente from 1831 to 1839, then at 10 rue de la Perle from 1840 to 1864. He carried out the gilding of the Petits Appartements of Napoleon III at the Louvre Palace. He produced a wide variety of works, such as a Japonist inkwell and Pompeian-style centerpieces. Henri Picard earned his reputation for the exceptional quality of his jardinières and fireplace garnitures.