Bronze-caster (1810-1892)
(attributed to)

Orientalist Chandelier

France
Circa 1880

Gilded bronze, Enamel

Height : 68 cm (26,8 in.) ; Diameter : 19 cm (7,5 in.)

Elegant gilded bronze and polychrome cloisonné enamels chandelier with a single central light, connected to an enameled star-shaped ceiling canopy by chains that support an openwork enameled crown set with ruby-red cabochons. The whole is finished with a frosted bowl engraved with stars.

The red cabochons recall the precious stones of Byzantine icons or Gothic reliquaries, suggesting a liturgical chandelier; or, if not, it faithfully reflects the “modernized” Byzantine liturgical style that was highly fashionable in France at the end of the 19th century. The cloisonné enamels also add an Orientalist touch, commonly found in the productions of Parisian workshops of this period, such as the Barbedienne workshops.

Biography

Born in 1810, died in Paris in 1892, Ferdinand Barbedienne, the most important caster of bronze pieces of art during the second half of the 19th Century, created and directed in Paris one of the major artistic founderies of his time. Barbedienne specialised in classical reproductions, whose models were exposed in famous European museums. Their illustrated catalogues included many diverse objects such as busts, ornemental sculpture (clocks, candelabras, cups) sometimes even life-sized and also bronzes for furniture. Apart from his own production, Barbedienne worked for the most renowned sculptors such as Barrias, Clésinger and Carrier-Belleuse. All his works were highly esteemed and he, himself honoured by contemporary critics. At the London exhibition in 1851 Barbedienne’s firm won two « Council medals ». At the 1855 Universal Exhibition, he won a medal of honour. The success of Barbedienne’s firm brought him many official commissions, such in about 1860, as Barbedienne supplied bronzes for furniture for the Pompeian Villa of Prince Napoléon-Joseph, located avenue Montaigne in Paris. At the London Universal Exhibition of 1862 Barbedienne won medals in three different categories : Furniture, Silversmith work and Artistic bronzes. Barbedienne was made an officer of the Légion d’Honneur in 1867 and Commander in 1878 when he was compared with « a prince of industry and the king of bronze casting ». His glory did not decline with the passage of the time for at the Universal Exhibition of 1889 the critics thanked Barbedienne for the example he set for other bronze-casters by the perfection of his bronzes.

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Bronze-caster (1810-1892)
(attributed to)

Neo-Byzantine Chandelier

France
Circa 1880

Gilded bronze, Enamel

Height : 61 cm (24 in.) ; Diameter : 25 cm (9,8 in.)

Elegant neo-Byzantine chandelier of geometric form with three light arms, in gilded bronze and polychrome cloisonné enamels. The enameled frieze decoration recalls Byzantine enamels, a well-known source of inspiration for F. Barbedienne workshops. The shaft, ending with a point, is adorned in its upper section with small chains and gilt spheres, and supports the light arms decorated with crosses and scrolling foliage. The cloisonné enamels, inspired by Byzantine screens, add an orientalist touch characteristic of the productions of Parisian workshops in the late 19th century.

Biography

Born in 1810, died in Paris in 1892, Ferdinand Barbedienne, the most important caster of bronze pieces of art during the second half of the 19th Century, created and directed in Paris one of the major artistic founderies of his time. Barbedienne specialised in classical reproductions, whose models were exposed in famous European museums. Their illustrated catalogues included many diverse objects such as busts, ornemental sculpture (clocks, candelabras, cups) sometimes even life-sized and also bronzes for furniture. Apart from his own production, Barbedienne worked for the most renowned sculptors such as Barrias, Clésinger and Carrier-Belleuse. All his works were highly esteemed and he, himself honoured by contemporary critics. At the London exhibition in 1851 Barbedienne’s firm won two « Council medals ». At the 1855 Universal Exhibition, he won a medal of honour. The success of Barbedienne’s firm brought him many official commissions, such in about 1860, as Barbedienne supplied bronzes for furniture for the Pompeian Villa of Prince Napoléon-Joseph, located avenue Montaigne in Paris. At the London Universal Exhibition of 1862 Barbedienne won medals in three different categories : Furniture, Silversmith work and Artistic bronzes. Barbedienne was made an officer of the Légion d’Honneur in 1867 and Commander in 1878 when he was compared with « a prince of industry and the king of bronze casting ». His glory did not decline with the passage of the time for at the Universal Exhibition of 1889 the critics thanked Barbedienne for the example he set for other bronze-casters by the perfection of his bronzes. 

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Crystal Manufacture                                                      

F. Barbedienne

Bronze-caster (1810-1892)

(attributed to)

The  « Dragon Turtle » Bowl

France
Circa 1890

Crystal, Gilded bronze

Height : 13 cm (5,1 in.) ; Length : 29,5 cm (11,6 in.) ; Width : 29,5 cm (11,6 in.)

Beautiful square-shaped bowl in engraved crystal decorated with bamboo and birds.
It rests on a gilded bronze dragon turtle, a legendary Chinese creature with the body of a dragon and the shell of a turtle, a symbol of power and prosperity.

Biography

The famous crystal manufacture of Baccarat, that dates back to the 18th century, was awarded its first medal in 1823, during the “Exposition des Produits de l’Industrie” for the “brilliance and the sharpness of its crystal” and became then the most renowned French “cristallerie”. Baccarat was undoubtedly the only French manufacture that exhibited steadily and magnificently its products at the various Universal Exhibitions, and especially between 1855 and 1867.  In all reports one can read about the « perfection of the material and of its cut ». To keep its wealthy clientele, among which the Royal family, Baccarat must discover new styles and decors as well as new material.

Born in 1810, died in Paris in 1892, Ferdinand Barbedienne, the most important caster of bronze pieces of art during the second half of the 19th Century, created and directed in Paris one of the major artistic founderies of his time. Barbedienne specialised in classical reproductions, whose models were exposed in famous European museums. Their illustrated catalogues included many diverse objects such as busts, ornemental sculpture (clocks, candelabras, cups) sometimes even life-sized and also bronzes for furniture. Apart from his own production, Barbedienne worked for the most renowned sculptors such as Barrias, Clésinger and Carrier-Belleuse. All his works were highly esteemed and he, himself honoured by contemporary critics. At the London exhibition in 1851 Barbedienne’s firm won two « Council medals ». At the 1855 Universal Exhibition, he won a medal of honour. The success of Barbedienne’s firm brought him many official commissions, such in about 1860, as Barbedienne supplied bronzes for furniture for the Pompeian Villa of Prince Napoléon-Joseph, located avenue Montaigne in Paris. At the London Universal Exhibition of 1862 Barbedienne won medals in three different categories : Furniture, Silversmith work and Artistic bronzes. Barbedienne was made an officer of the Légion d’Honneur in 1867 and Commander in 1878 when he was compared with « a prince of industry and the king of bronze casting ». His glory did not decline with the passage of the time for at the Universal Exhibition of 1889 the critics thanked Barbedienne for the example he set for other bronze-casters by the perfection of his bronzes.

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Sculptor-Ornemanist
(1821-1888)

 (Attributed to)

F. Barbedienne

Bronze-Caster
(1810-1892)

Byzantine Sweet box

France
Circa 1880

Signed F. Barbedienne

Gilt bronze, polychrome cloisonné enamel

Height : 14,5 cm (5,7 in) ; Sides : 16 x 16 cm (6,3 in)

Precious sweet box in gilt bronze with polychrome cloisonné enamel decoration. It rest son four foliage claw feet with lion heads and is adorned with polychrome cloisonné enamel Byzantine decoration

The high quality of the enamel is typical of Barbedienne’s production. It enhances this pair of covered cups especially with the wide range of colours used to create the decoration. The enamel is smooth and shiny and shows many shades to form the Byzantine decoration. The partitioned cloisonné is finely engraved and contributes to the decoration by adopting vegetal and foliage shapes.

The model

This sweet box is from a well-known model of the Barbedienne Company. Indeed a similar covered-cup was purchased in 1867 – certainly during the Paris Universal Exhibition – by the Österreichisches Museum für angewandte Kunst of Vienna (Inv. –NrEm15/1867). Some years after, during the 1873 Vienna Universal Exhibition, Ferdinand Barbedienne presented on his stand an identical cup reproduced in Kunst und Kunstgewerbe auf der Wiener Weltausstellung, 1873. It shows the same foliage feet and the same enamel decoration with flowered scrolls and Byzantine motifs.

Covered cup of the 1873 Universal Exhibition,

(reproduced in Kunst und Kunstgewerbe auf der Wiener Weltausstellung, p. 441)

Barbedienne and the cloisonné enamel

Ferdinand Barbedienne continously innovated and he revived the use of enamel on art works during the second half of the 19th century. The Sèvres Manufacture enamel workshop had ever tried it in 1854-1855, but Barbedienne was the one who succeeded to join enamel to an industrial decorative objects production. From 1858 “At Mr Barbedienne’s, enamels in copper ornaments have got their former prestige back” (Les bronzes de la Maison Barbedienne, C. Simon, in L’Art du XIXe siècle, 1858, n°21, p. 252). The Barbedienne Company had now an enamel workshop where objects ornamented with oriental style or medieval style enamels were made. Four years after, Barbedienne’s cloisonné opaque enamels are noticed during the 1862 Universal Exhibition. Barbedienne was awarded three medals in three different categories : ‘Furniture’, ‘Silversmith work’ and ‘Artistic bronzes’ especially for the combination of bronze with enamel (oriental style cup, Compiègne Castle, Inv. C. 71-122).

The technique used to make these covered cups is different from the traditional one used for cloisonné enamel. In fact in Barbedienne’s productions the cloisonné is not welded to the object but is directly cast with it. The cloisonné forms part of the object and this innovation enabled to have a more refined and softer decoration.

The colours used by the Barbedienne Company also relate to the success of its enamels and the shades are praised as they “have more than the others these qualities of sparkle and richness that the range of colours of Gothic and Chinese enamellers also have” (in Gazette des Beaux-Arts, 1^er décembre 1862, p. 542). This was made to create original enamelled creations either with Chinese or Japanese inspiration with a naturalistic decoration, or with Persian or Indian inspiration with a more stylized decoration, like on these covered cups.

Biographies

Louis-Constant Sévin (1821-1888) : he was first trained to design and sculpture with the sculptor Antoine-André Marneuf (1796-1865). In 1839 he went into partnership with two sculptors, Phénix and Joyau, and he created designs for famous goldsmiths such as Denière, Froment-Meurice and Morel. He fled to London during the 1848 Revolution where he worked at Morel, with whom he exhibited art works at the 1851 Universal Exhibition. Back to France he took p

art to the 1855 Universal Exhibition by creating designs to the Limoges porcelain makers Jouhanneaud and Dubois. Since then he worked as head decorator at Ferdinand Barbedienne’s Company. He produced a lot of works : he designed the bronze decoration for the Paiva’s Hotel (on the Champs-Elysées avenue) and created models for Ferdinand Barbedienne. He participated in different exhibitions and was awarded at the 1862 London Universal Exhibition for the artistical excellence of the furniture items he designed and which are exhibited by Barbedienne. He also received a Gold Medal as collaborator at the 1863 Central Union of Decorative Arts Exhibition.

Ferdinand Barbedienne (1810-1892) : he created and headed at n°30 boulevard Poissonnière in Paris one of the most famous 19^th century artistic bronze casting companies. Awarded with two Council Medals at the 1851 London Universal Exhibition, the Barbedienne company won at the 1855 Paris Universal Exhibition a medal of honour and eleven cooperator’s medals for the work of his co-workers, such as his designer Louis-Constant Sévin (1821-1888) and his chaser Désiré Attarge (c.1820-1878). At the London Universal Exhibition of 1862 Barbedienne won medals in three different categories : ‘Furniture’, ‘Silversmith work’ and ‘Artistic bronzes’, combining for some pieces with onyx marble and enamel. Barbedienne was not only, with the Parisian silversmith Christofle, one of the leaders of the French Aesthetic Movement in decorative arts, but also the first artist to produce the famous cloisonné enamels (see « L’émaillerie moderne », Gazette des Beaux-Arts, Alfred Darcel, t. XXIV, janv.-juin 1868, p° 75-84). At the 1867 Universal Exhibition in his capacity as member of and speaker for the Jury, he was non-contestant, but exhibited nevertheless with great success cloisonné and champlevé enamelled pieces. Barbedienne was made an Officer of the Légion d’Honneur in 1867 and Commander in 1878 when he was compared with “a prince of industry and the king of bronze casting”. His glory did not decline with the passage of the time for at the Universal Exhibition of 1889 the critics thanked Barbedienne for the example he set for other bronze-casters by the perfection of his bronzes.

Bibliography

– L’Art en France sous le Second Empire, Exposition Grand-Palais, Paris, 1979, p. 148-149.

– L’émaillerie moderne, Alfred Darcel, in Gazette des Beaux-Arts, t. XXIV (janvier-juin1868), p. 76.

– Les bronzes de la Maison Barbedienne, C. Simon, in L’Art du XIXe siècle, 1858, n°21, p. 252.

– Der Traum von Glück : Die Kunst des Historismus in Europa, Ausstellung im Künstlerhaus und der Akademie der Bildenden Künste, Wien, 1996-1997, p. 599-600.

– Kunst und Kunstgewerbe auf der Wiener Weltausstellung, 1873, Von Lützow, Leipzig, 1875, p. 441.

– Gazette des Beaux-Arts, 1^er décembre 1862, p. 542.

Museology

– Covered cup probably exhibited at the 1867 Universal Exhibition, preserved at the Osterreichisches Museum für angewandte Kunst, Vienna (Inv. –NrEm 15/1867).

– Covered cup, preserved at the Carnegie Museum of Art, Pittsburgh (Inv. 1999.49.3.A-B).

– Covered cup so-called sweet-box, preserved at the Musée de l’Evêché – Musée de l’Email, Limoges (Inv. 2006.15.1).

Covered cup so-called sweet-box

Musée de l’Evêché – Musée de l’Email, Limoges.

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Designer
(1825-1854)

F. Barbedienne

Bronze-caster
(1810-1892)

(attributed to)                                                                              

‘Bamboo’ stands

A similar model presented at the 1855 Paris Universal Exhibition

Bronze with brown shade patina, red griotte marble

France, circa 1855

Total height : 154 cm (60 ^5/8 in.) ; Width : 33 x 33 cm (13 x 13 in.)
Cup : height 17 cm (6 ¾ in.)

Beautiful pair of bronze stands also named Bamboo candelabra. Each rests on three claw feet adorned with lion heads and separated with palms. A bamboo shaped shaft arises from this tripod and is topped with three buds supporting a circular red griotte marble top on which stands a cup in the Ancient style decorated with ivy.

The sobriety of the decoration enhances the quality of the bronze cast and the patina shades. The small chains falling from the top animates this work of a sleek design.

The model

The design of these stands, inspired from Ancient tripods, is a well-known model in Ferdinand Barbedienne’s production as it was reused many times by the bronze-caster. Designed by the head-decorator Henri Cahieux, this model was edited by the Barbedienne Company as soon as 1855, named Ancient candelabra lamp-holder h. 1m35 and was sold 440 francs. From 1875, these stands were commercialised under the name Bamboo candelabra, tripod, lamp-holder and were offered in three heights : 1m90, 1m70 and 1m35. This model of stand could then be found in all catalogues of the Barbedienne Company.

This pair of candelabras allows us to see how F. Barbedienne offered during decades a range of furniture from the designs of his decorator. This type of stand could be seen in different interior decorations of the Second Empire

A model similar to ours was presented by the Barbedienne Company at the 1855 Universal Exhibition. For this occasion Empress Eugénie bought it for her toilet at Saint-Cloud Castle. A watercolor by Fortuné de Fournier made in 1860 shows them, set on both sides of a cheval mirror made by the Fourdinois Company.

This model pleased the Empress so much that she ordered two other pairs in 1858 for her boudoirs at Compiègne and Fontainebleau Palaces.

Candelabra, Universal Exhibition of 1855

Watercolour showing the Empress’ toilet at Saint-Cloud Castle, Compiegne Palace

Otherwise similar stands took place in the Pompeiian house built in 1856 by the architect Alfred Normand (1822-1909) for Prince Napoléon. Several pictures and engravings of this house show us these candelabras used as lamp-holders. If the Ancient style furniture was designed by Charles Rossigneux (1818-1908), the presence of these stands illustrates that the Barbedienne Company took also part to this work particularly with this model which was successful among the imperial family.

Engraving showing the party given by Prince Napoléon for the inauguration of his Pompeiian house, 14th February 1860, Bibliothèque Nationale de France

View of the atrium of the Pompeiian house about 1860, Bibliothèque Nationale de France

Biographies

Henri Cahieux (1825-1854) : head decorator for the artistic bronze-caster Ferdinand Barbedienne, he was destined for a brilliant career, as testified the works of art he sent to the Salons of 1850 and 1853. Most of these pieces were made in the Greek style, which was very fashionable at the time. Victor Champier’s article “Industrial Artists”, which appeared in the Decorative Arts Review (December 1888) echoed the genius of the artist : “Barbedienne had just lost (in 1854), taken by cholera in the prime of life, this young man with such a promising future, whose works, infused with graceful taste, showed him to be a master”. At the 1855 Universal Exhibition in Paris, his lamps which figured as the last testimony of Henri Cahieux, won a medal of honour for Barbedienne’s stand. His succession in the firm was assured by Louis-Constant Sevin (1821-1888) with great success.

Ferdinand Barbedienne (1810-1892) : he created and headed at n°30 boulevard Poissonnière in Paris one of the most famous 19^th century artistic bronze casting companies. He owed his reputation to his bronze casting of Ancient and modern sculptures, which subjects came from the greatest European museums, but also to his original bronze works designed in his workshop and reserved for furniture and decoration. In addition to his own production, Barbedienne worked for renowned sculptors such as Barrias, Bosio, Clésinger or Carrier-Belleuse. Awarded with two Council Medals at the 1851 London Universal Exhibition, the Barbedienne Company won at the 1855 Paris Universal Exhibition a medal of honour and eleven cooperator’s medals for the work of his co-workers, designers and chasers. The success of the Barbedienne Company at the diverse international exhibitions earned it several official commissions, as providing ornamental bronze for the Pompeiian house of Prince Napoleon, about 1860, avenue Montaigne in Paris. At the 1867 Universal Exhibition in his capacity as member of and speaker for the Jury, he was non-contestant, but exhibited nevertheless with great success cloisonné and champlevé enamelled pieces. Barbedienne was made an Officer of the Légion d’Honneur in 1867 and Commander in 1878 when he was compared with “a prince of industry and the king of bronze casting”. His glory did not decline with the passage of the time for at the Universal Exhibition of 1889 the critics thanked Barbedienne for the example he set for other bronze-casters by the perfection of his bronzes.

Literature

– F. Barbedienne fondeur, Catalogue des bronzes d’art, Paris, 1855, p.14.
– F. Barbedienne fondeur, Bronzes d’art, Paris, 1858, p.47.
– F. Barbedienne, Bronzes d’art, Paris, 1862, p.56.
– F. Barbedienne fondeur, Catalogue des bronzes d’art, Paris, 1875, p.68.
– F. Barbedienne fondeur, Catalogue des bronzes d’art, Paris, 1882, p.91.
– F. Barbedienne éditeur, Leblanc-Barbedienne successeur, Bronzes d’art, Paris, 1893, p.99.
– Barbedienne éditeur, Leblanc-Barbedienne successeur, Bronzes et objets d’art, Paris, 1900, p.117.
– « La maison pompéienne du Prince Napoléon avenue Montaigne », Marie-Claude Dejean de la Batie, in La Gazette des Beaux-arts, t. LXXXVII, 1287^e livraison, avril 1976, pp. 127-134. fig. 9.

Museologie

– Pair of lamp-holders by F. Barbedienne, bought by Empress Eugénie in 1858 for Compiègne Palace, preserved at Compiègne Palace (Inv. C.348.C).

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Bronze-caster
(1810-1892)
(attributed to)

An oriental style chandelier

France
Circa 1870

Enamel, Gilded bronze

Height. : 75cm (29,5 in.) ; Diam. : 45cm (17,7 in.)

Exceptional gilt bronze and polychrome cloisonné enamel chandelier with six light-arms raising from an open-work gilt bronze body in the shape of an egg adorned with enameled stylized foliate. The whole is in the oriental style and hung with chains finishing in enameled medallions and corolla.

This work in enameled bronze of oriental style is typical of F. Barbedienne’s production, who was famous for his leading role in the renaissance of the cloisonné enamel decoration during the 19^th century.

Biography

Ferdinand Barbedienne (1810-1892) created and headed at n°30 boulevard Poissonnière in Paris one of the most famous 19th century artistic bronze casting companies. He owed his reputation to his bronze casting of Ancient and modern sculptures, which subjects came from the greatest European museums, but also to his original bronze works designed in his workshop and reserved for furniture and decoration. In addition to his own production, Barbedienne worked for renowned sculptors such as Barrias, Bosio, Clésinger or Carrier-Belleuse. Awarded with two Council Medals at the 1851 London Universal Exhibition, the Barbedienne Company won at the 1855 Paris Universal Exhibition a medal of honour and eleven cooperator’s medals for the work of his co-workers, designers and chasers. At the 1867 Universal Exhibition in his capacity as member of and speaker for the Jury, he was non-contestant, but exhibited nevertheless with great success cloisonné and champlevé enamelled pieces. Barbedienne was made an Officer of the Legion of Honour in 1867 and Commander in 1878 when he was compared with “a prince of industry and the king of bronze casting”.

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Sculptor
(1827-1905)

F. Barbedienne

Fondeur
(1810-1892)

« Florentine Singer »

Signed P. Dubois 1865 and F. Barbedienne fondeur
Stamped with réduction mécanique Collas

France
Circa 1880

Height : 93 cm (36,6 in.) ; Width : 39 cm (15,4 in.) ; Depth : 27 cm (10,6 in.)

A patinated bronze « Florentine Singer » sculpture, inspired by the Italian journey of Dubois and the historicist taste. The plaster model was exhibited at the Parisian Salon in 1865, and won the Honor Medal.

The first bronze cast was purchased by Princess Mathilde. It was then added to the famous bronze-caster Barbedienne’s catalogue and edited from 1865 to 1953 in six heights – 39cm to 115cm- thanks to the Collas mechanical reduction system.

Biographies

Paul Dubois (1827-1905) entered the Paris Beaux-Arts School in 1858. He exhibited at the 1865 Salon the Chanteur Florentin, illustrating Florentine sculpture, observed after his journey in Italy. This work, cast that time in silvered bronze, was exhibited at the 1867 Paris Universal Exhibition (now preserved at the Orsay museum). Dubois’ success brought him many commissions, both private (Portrait of Duc d’Aumale) and public (Jeanne d’Arc, in Reims). Appointed curator at the Luxembourg museum in 1873, Dubois became also a member of the Institute and finally headmaster at the Beaux-Arts School in 1878.

Born in 1810, Ferdinand Barbedienne started at n°30 boulevard Poissonnière in Paris one of the most famous 19th century artistic bronze casting companies. He died in 1892. In addition to his personal production, he worked for famous old times artists or contemporary sculptors such as Auguste Clésinger, Albert-Ernest Carrier-Belleuse and Louis Barrias. The success of Barbedienne’s firm brought him many official commissions, such in about 1860, as Barbedienne supplied bronzes for furniture for the Pompeian Villa of Prince Napoleon, located avenue Montaigne in Paris. Barbedienne’s production was always highly esteemed and he was, himself admired by contemporary art critics who compared him during the 1878 Universal Exhibition to a « prince of industry and the king of bronze-casting ». His glory did not decline with the passage of the time for at the Universal Exhibition of 1889 the critics thanked Barbedienne for the example he set for other bronze-casters by the perfection of his bronzes.

Bibliography

P. Kjellberg, Les bronzes du XIX^e siècle. Dictionnaire des sculpteurs, éd. Amateur, Paris, 1989.

F. Rionnet, Les bronzes Barbedienne. L’œuvre d’une dynastie de fondeurs, Paris, Arthena, 2016.

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Cabinet-maker
(1808-1889)

L.C. Sevin

Ornemanist
(1821-1888)

F. Barbedienne

Bronze-caster
(1810-1892)

Very Important Neo-Renaissance Dining Room Set

France
Circa 1878

Walnut, gilded bronze, “brèche St Maximin” marble, green Campan and “grand mélange” marble.

Display sideboard : Height : 285 cm (112 in.)  ; Width : 215 cm (84,6 in) ; Depth : 70 cm (27,5 in.)
Table (without extension) : Height : 76 cm (29,9 in.) ; Width : 170 cm (66,9 in.) ; Depth : 120 cm (47,2 in.) / Extensions (x 2) : Width : 45 cm (17,7 in.) ; Depth : 120 cm (47,2 in.)
Dresser : Height : 180 cm (70,8 in.) ; Width : 215 cm (84,6 in.) ; Depth : 65 cm (25,6 in.)
Chairs : Height : 114 cm (44,8 in.) ; Width : 48 cm (18,9 in.) ; Depth : 45 cm (17,7 in.)

Woodwork attributed to Maison Meynard (1808-1889), Meynard Fils; ormolu mounting by Ferdinand Barbedienne (1810-1892) from works by Louis-Constant Sévin (1821-1888).

Exhibition: Maison Meynard, Frager successeur, Salon des industries du mobilier, 1902. Maison Meynard has exhibited at the Universal Exhibition in 1878 a two-part Neo-Renaissance sideboard adorned with gilded bronze.

This rare Neo-Renaissance dining room furniture by the woodwork factory Meynard is representative of the taste for historical style in the second half of the 19th century.
Consisting of a monumental display sideboard, a dresser, a table and eight chairs, it is made of sculpted walnut, adorned with gilded bronze by Ferdinand Barbedienne, probably inspired by drawings of Constant Sévin.
This furniture is unified by repeated patterns, “brèche St Maximin” marble columns with gilded bronze capitals, ormolu medallions representing Renaissance inspired faces in profile, an ormolu faun mascaron and ribbed vases with ionic capitals.

• Display Sideboard
  

Important two part, Neo-Renaissance style, walnut sideboard; the lower part comprising four doors embellished with low reliefs in gilt bronze alternating with four detached columns of “brèche St Maximin” marble with Corinthian capitals. The upper part comprises two doors ornamented with gilt bronze low reliefs cast by Ferdinand Barbedienne, representing two nymphs after those sculpted by Jean Goujon in 1547 for the Fountain of the Innocents in Paris. On each side gilt bronze caryatids sheathed in Campan marble and recesses decorated with chains of fruit emphasize the structure of the piece. A pediment bearing the gilt bronze mask of a faun completes the ensemble.

• Dresser

The dresser is compartmented in a tripartite lower part, divided by marble and gilt bronze columns.
Two doors, adorned with gilt bronze Florentine Renaissance style medallions, flank the glass case in the centre.  Three sculpted frieze drawers support the top.
The upper part is divided in three panels: in niches on each side two gilt bronze statuettes surround the central gilt bronze pattern.

Statues represent two women draped in the antic style, one holding a palm, the other a cornucopia. Two sculpted chimeras finished the décor on each side. The semi-circular pediment surmounting the upper part presents a gilt bronze faun mascaron.

• Dining room table and chairs

The walnut dining room table, and its three leaves are standing on four richly decorated legs ending in lion claws, doubled with marble columns topped by gilt bronze Corinthian capitals. A strut supporting three ribbed balusters and two ionic capitals vases links the legs.

Eight chairs complete this Neo-Renaissance dining room. The base rests on four legs, the anterior baluster and capital legs and the posterior square section legs, linked by a strut. The back of chairs is adorned with a rich sculpted décor and flanked by two capitals columns. The lower part is decorated with an openwork sculpted vegetal ornament. The wood pediment is ornamented with a central polished marble cabochon.

Biography

The renowned firm of Meynard was established at 50 Faubourg-Saint-Antoine in Paris in 1812. Created by Guillaume Meynard, the company became famous under the name of Father-and-Son Meynard when in 1833, Guillaume-Mathieu, the eldest child of Guillaume Meynard joined him. His father left his son alone managing the family-owned business from 1848. Guillaume-Mathieu was joined by his son Léon-Guillaume in 1866. The firm was then called Meynard and Son. Under the same name, Léon-Guillaume, then representing the third generation, took leadership from 1873 until 1889 when he sold his business to Eugène Frager. After winning numerous awards at the Products of Industry Exhibitions and later at the Universal Exhibitions (a gold medal won in Paris in 1878), the Frager furnishing and decoration company perpetuated the excellent reputation of the firm by being awarded a silver medal at the Paris Universal Exhibition of 1889.

The low reliefs and other bronze ornaments of this sideboard, of very high standard quality, were cast in the workshops of Ferdinand Barbedienne after designs by Constant Sévin. Those designs had been already used successfully on a bookcase exhibited by Sévin and Barbedienne at the Paris Universal Exhibition of 1867. Ferdinand Barbedienne (1810-1892) started one of the most famous 19th century artistic bronze casting companies. In addition to his personal production, he worked for famous artists such as Clésinger and Carrière-Belleuse. These artists production – as illustrated in their catalogue – varied from busts and ornamental sculptures such as clocks, candlesticks, sconces to decorations for furniture, as shown on our sideboard. Barbedienne’s production was always highly esteemed and he was, himself admired by contemporary art critics who compared him during the 1878 Universal Exhibition to a “prince of industry and the king of bronze-casting”.

Louis-Constant Sévin (1821-1888) designed silver-smith’s objects for famous firms like Denière and Froment-Meurice, before working for Barbedienne as sculptor-ornemanist since 1855. Sévin’s works are considerable, he designed furniture bronzes for the « hôtel de La Païva » and was particularly remarked at the London Exhibition in 1862, where he was awarded a medal. The most extraordinary object designed by Sévin for Barbedienne, was a Renaissance style gilded bronze monumental clock, for which Sévin won a gold medal at the Universal Exhibition in 1878.

Bibliography

L’univers des bronzes, Yves Devaux, Ed. Pygmalion, Paris, 1978.

Exposition Universelle de 1878, Rapport sur les bronzes d’art, Groupe III, Classe 25, p° 26.

Les ébénistes du XIXe siècle, Ledoux-Lebard, Ed. de l’amateur, Paris, 1989, p° 209 & 481.

« Le salon des arts du mobilier », La Revue de l’art ancien et moderne, Paris, impr. Georges Petit, t. XII, juillet-décembre 1902, pp.185-186.

Salon des industries du mobilier, Grand Palais des Champs Elysées, juillet-novembre 1902, organisé par la chambre syndicale de l’ameublement, Paris, impr. Wattier frères, 1902

The post Meynard, Sévin, Barbedienne <br/> Important Neo-Renaissance Dining Room Set appeared first on Tobogan Antiques.

Cabinet-maker
(1808-1889)

L.C. Sevin

Ornemanist
(1821-1888)

F. Barbedienne

Bronze-caster
(1810-1892)

Very Important Neo-Renaissance Dining Room Set

France
Circa 1878

Woodwork attributed to Maison Meynard (1808-1889), Meynard Fils; ormolu mounting by Ferdinand Barbedienne (1810-1892) from works by Louis-Constant Sévin (1821-1888).

Walnut, gilded bronze, “brèche St Maximin” marble, green Campan and “grand mélange” marble.

Exhibition: Maison Meynard, Frager successeur, Salon des industries du mobilier, 1902. Maison Meynard has exhibited at the Universal Exhibition in 1878 a two-part Neo-Renaissance sideboard adorned with gilded bronze.

This rare Neo-Renaissance dining room furniture by the woodwork factory Meynard is representative of the taste for historical style in the second half of the 19th century.
Consisting of a monumental display sideboard, a dresser, a table and eight chairs, it is made of sculpted walnut, adorned with gilded bronze by Ferdinand Barbedienne, probably inspired by drawings of Constant Sévin.
This furniture is unified by repeated patterns, “brèche St Maximin” marble columns with gilded bronze capitals, ormolu medallions representing Renaissance inspired faces in profile, an ormolu faun mascaron and ribbed vases with ionic capitals.

• Dining room table and chairs

The walnut dining room table, and its three leaves are standing on four richly decorated legs ending in lion claws, doubled with marble columns topped by gilt bronze Corinthian capitals. A strut supporting three ribbed balusters and two ionic capitals vases links the legs.

Eight chairs complete this Neo-Renaissance dining room. The base rests on four legs, the anterior baluster and capital legs and the posterior square section legs, linked by a strut. The back of chairs is adorned with a rich sculpted décor and flanked by two capitals columns. The lower part is decorated with an openwork sculpted vegetal ornament. The wood pediment is ornamented with a central polished marble cabochon.

• Display Sideboard
  

Important two part, Neo-Renaissance style, walnut sideboard; the lower part comprising four doors embellished with low reliefs in gilt bronze alternating with four detached columns of “brèche St Maximin” marble with Corinthian capitals. The upper part comprises two doors ornamented with gilt bronze low reliefs cast by Ferdinand Barbedienne, representing two nymphs after those sculpted by Jean Goujon in 1547 for the Fountain of the Innocents in Paris. On each side gilt bronze caryatids sheathed in Campan marble and recesses decorated with chains of fruit emphasize the structure of the piece. A pediment bearing the gilt bronze mask of a faun completes the ensemble.

• Dresser

The dresser is compartmented in a tripartite lower part, divided by marble and gilt bronze columns.
Two doors, adorned with gilt bronze Florentine Renaissance style medallions, flank the glass case in the centre.  Three sculpted frieze drawers support the top.
The upper part is divided in three panels: in niches on each side two gilt bronze statuettes surround the central gilt bronze pattern.

Statues represent two women draped in the antic style, one holding a palm, the other a cornucopia. Two sculpted chimeras finished the décor on each side. The semi-circular pediment surmounting the upper part presents a gilt bronze faun mascaron.

Biography

The renowned firm of Meynard was established at 50 Faubourg-Saint-Antoine in Paris in 1812. Created by Guillaume Meynard, the company became famous under the name of Father-and-Son Meynard when in 1833, Guillaume-Mathieu, the eldest child of Guillaume Meynard joined him. His father left his son alone managing the family-owned business from 1848. Guillaume-Mathieu was joined by his son Léon-Guillaume in 1866. The firm was then called Meynard and Son. Under the same name, Léon-Guillaume, then representing the third generation, took leadership from 1873 until 1889 when he sold his business to Eugène Frager. After winning numerous awards at the Products of Industry Exhibitions and later at the Universal Exhibitions (a gold medal won in Paris in 1878), the Frager furnishing and decoration company perpetuated the excellent reputation of the firm by being awarded a silver medal at the Paris Universal Exhibition of 1889.

The low reliefs and other bronze ornaments of this sideboard, of very high standard quality, were cast in the workshops of Ferdinand Barbedienne after designs by Constant Sévin. Those designs had been already used successfully on a bookcase exhibited by Sévin and Barbedienne at the Paris Universal Exhibition of 1867. Ferdinand Barbedienne (1810-1892) started one of the most famous 19th century artistic bronze casting companies. In addition to his personal production, he worked for famous artists such as Clésinger and Carrière-Belleuse. These artists production – as illustrated in their catalogue – varied from busts and ornamental sculptures such as clocks, candlesticks, sconces to decorations for furniture, as shown on our sideboard. Barbedienne’s production was always highly esteemed and he was, himself admired by contemporary art critics who compared him during the 1878 Universal Exhibition to a “prince of industry and the king of bronze-casting”.

Louis-Constant Sévin (1821-1888) designed silver-smith’s objects for famous firms like Denière and Froment-Meurice, before working for Barbedienne as sculptor-ornemanist since 1855. Sévin’s works are considerable, he designed furniture bronzes for the « hôtel de La Païva » and was particularly remarked at the London Exhibition in 1862, where he was awarded a medal. The most extraordinary object designed by Sévin for Barbedienne, was a Renaissance style gilded bronze monumental clock, for which Sévin won a gold medal at the Universal Exhibition in 1878.

Bibliography

L’univers des bronzes, Yves Devaux, Ed. Pygmalion, Paris, 1978.

Exposition Universelle de 1878, Rapport sur les bronzes d’art, Groupe III, Classe 25, p° 26.

Les ébénistes du XIXe siècle, Ledoux-Lebard, Ed. de l’amateur, Paris, 1989, p° 209 & 481.

« Le salon des arts du mobilier », La Revue de l’art ancien et moderne, Paris, impr. Georges Petit, t. XII, juillet-décembre 1902, pp.185-186.

Salon des industries du mobilier, Grand Palais des Champs Elysées, juillet-novembre 1902, organisé par la chambre syndicale de l’ameublement, Paris, impr. Wattier frères, 1902

The post Meynard, Sévin, Barbedienne <br/> Important Neo-Renaissance Dining Room Set appeared first on Tobogan Antiques.

Designer
(1821-1888)  

F. Barbedienne

Bronze-Caster
(1810-1892)
(attributed to)

Japanese Style Tray

France (for the bronze mount)
Japan (for the enamel)
Circa 1860

Height.: 13,5 cm (5,3 in.) ; Width.: 68 cm (26,7 in.); Depth.: 43 cm (16,9 in.)

Rich landscape in cloisonné enamel on blue and brown background imitating Aventurine stone. The décor represents a river surrounded by wisterias, chrysanthemums, peonies, iris and reeds, led by birds and fishes. A frieze with floral pattern frames the set. The enamel rests on a beautiful bronze frame with four elephants heads feet topped by handles with typical lambrequin from Barbedienne’s production.

Biographies

Louis-Constant Sévin (1821-1888) was first trained to design and sculpture with the sculptor Antoine-André Marneuf (1796-1865). In 1839 he went into partnership with two sculptors, Phénix and Joyau, and he created designs for famous goldsmiths such as Denière, Froment-Meurice and Morel. He fled to London during the 1848 Revolution where he worked at Morel, with whom he exhibited art works at the 1851 Universal Exhibition. Back to France he took part to the 1855 Universal Exhibition by creating designs to the Limoges porcelain makers Jouhanneaud and Dubois. Since then he worked as head decorator at Ferdinand Barbedienne’s Company. He produced a lot of works : he designed the bronze decoration for the Paiva’s Hotel (on the Champs-Elysées avenue) and created models for Ferdinand Barbedienne. He participated in different exhibitions and was awarded at the 1862 London Universal Exhibition for the artistical excellence of the furniture items he designed and which are exhibited by Barbedienne. He also received a Gold Medal as collaborator at the 1863 Central Union of Decorative Arts Exhibition.

Ferdinand Barbedienne (1810-1892) created and headed at n°30 boulevard Poissonnière in Paris one of the most famous 19th century artistic bronze casting companies. He owed his reputation to his bronze casting of Ancient and modern sculptures, which subjects came from the greatest European museums, but also to his original bronze works designed in his workshop and reserved for furniture and decoration. In addition to his own production, Barbedienne worked for renowned sculptors such as Barrias, Bosio, Clésinger or Carrier-Belleuse. Awarded with two Council Medals at the 1851 London Universal Exhibition, the Barbedienne Company won at the 1855 Paris Universal Exhibition a medal of honour and eleven cooperator’s medals for the work of his co-workers, designers and chasers. At the 1867 Universal Exhibition in his capacity as member of and speaker for the Jury, he was non-contestant, but exhibited nevertheless with great success cloisonné and champlevé enamelled pieces. Barbedienne was made an Officer of the Legion of Honour in 1867 and Commander in 1878 when he was compared with “a prince of industry and the king of bronze casting”.

Bibliography

« Les artistes de l’industrie, Constant Sévin », dans la Revue des arts décoratifs, Victor Champier, décembre 1888, février 1889, p.163.

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Sculptor-ornemanist
(1821-1888)

F. Barbedienne

Bronze-caster
(1810-1892)

Exceptional pair of jardinieres

Signed F. Barbedienne

France

Height : 61 cm (24 in.) ; Width : 75 cm (29,5 in.) ; Depth : 35 cm (13,7 in.)

Model presented at the 1889 Paris Universal Exhibition
(Reproduced and commented in Victor Champier’s book « Les Industries d’Art, Exposition Universelle de 1889 »)

A pair of exceptional jardinieres made in a very beautiful red « Griotte » marble. Each of « crater » shape, the centerpiece is sumptuously adorned with Renaissance style gilded bronze mounts cast after a design by Louis-Constant Sévin, such the mask of Medusa beneath a shell and flanked by swirling foliate acanthus with gadrooned rim. The handles cast with seated thinking putti on lion head-cast handles.

Biography

Born in 1821 and dead in Paris in 1888, Louis-Constant Sévin was apprenticed to the parisian sculptor Marneuf. In 1839, he joined the sculptor-modelors Phénix and Joyau, as designer, and designed silver-smith’s objects for famous firms like Denière, Froment-Meurice, Morel and Duponchel. During the Revolution in 1848, C. Sévin joined Morel in London, as workshop manager and designed pieces that Morel exhibited in 1851. Back in France in 1851, C. Sévin went to Limoges and designed models for the porcelain factories of Jouhanneaud and Dubois of which many pieces were exhibited at the Universal Exhibition in 1855. From this date on, he worked for Ferdinand Barbedienne as sculptor-ornemanist until the end of his life. Sévin’s works are considerable, he designed furniture bronzes for the « hôtel de La Païva ». At the London Exhibition in 1862, he was awarded a medal « pour l’excellence artistique des meubles qu’il a dessinés et qui sont exposés par Barbedienne » : for the artistic excellence of the furniture he designed and which is exhibited by F. Barbedienne. He won a second class medal at the Union centrale des Arts décoratifs Exhibition in 1863 and was awarded a gold medal as « cooperator ». F. Barbedienne said that posterity would remember Sévin’s compositions. The most extraordinary object designed by C. Sévin for F. Barbedienne, was a Renaissance style gilded bronze monumental clock, four metres high, for which C. Sévin won a gold medal as well as was awarded the Légion of Honor at the Universal Exhibition in 1878. His triumph was still valid at the 1889 Universal Exhibition.

Born in 1810, Ferdinand Barbedienne started one of the most famous 19th century artistic bronze casting companies. He died in 1892. In addition to his personal production, he worked for famous artists such as Clésinger, Carrière-Belleuse and Guillemin. Barbedienne’s production was always highly esteemed and he was, himself admired by contemporary art critics who compared him during the 1878 Universal Exhibition to a « prince of industry and the king of bronze-casting ». He was there awarded the « Grand Prix » as well as 28 cooperator medals. His glory did not decline with the passage of the time for at the Universal Exhibition of 1889 the critics thanked Barbedienne for the example he set for other bronze-casters by the perfection of his bronzes.

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Ornemanist
(1821-1888)

F. Barbedienne

Bronze-caster
(1810-1892)

A pair of Oriental style planters

Signed F. Barbedienne

France
Circa 1870

Height : 16 cm (6,2 in.) ; Diameter : 18 cm (7 in.)

A lovely pair of two handled pierced and gilded bronze flower planters, decorated with oriental style entrelac motifs. Richly ornamented with a floral decor made of polychrome cloisonné enamel on turquoise blue background.

Biography

Already esteemed at the London Exhibition of 1851 with two « Council medals », Barbedienne’s firm won at the 1855 Paris Universal Exhibition a medal of honor and eleven cooperator’s medals for the work of his co-workers, such as his designer Louis-Constant Sévin (1821-1888) and his chaser Désiré Attarge (c.1820-1878). The success of Barbedienne’s firm brought him many official commissions, such in about 1860, as Ferdinand Barbedienne (1810-1892) supplied bronzes for furniture for the Pompeian Villa of Prince Napoleon, located avenue Montaigne in Paris. At the London Universal Exhibition of 1862 Barbedienne won medals in three different categories : Furniture, Silversmith work and Artistic bronzes, combining for some pieces with onyx marble and enamel. Barbedienne was not only, with the Parisian silversmith Christofle, one of the leaders of the French Aesthetic Movement in decorative arts, but also the first artist to produce the famous « cloisonné » enamels (see « L’émaillerie moderne », Gazette des Beaux-Arts, Alfred Darcel, t. XXIV, janv.-juin 1868, p° 75-84). At the 1867 Universal Exhibition in his capacity as member of and speaker for the Jury, he was non-contestant, but exhibited nevertheless with great success cloisonné and champlevé enameled pieces. Barbedienne was made an officer of the Légion d’Honneur in 1867 and Commander in 1878 when he was compared with « a prince of industry and the king of bronze casting ». His glory did not decline with the passage of the time for at the Universal Exhibition of 1889 the critics thanked Barbedienne for the example he set for other bronze-casters by the perfection of his bronzes.

Bibliography

« L’Exposition universelle de 1889 : l’exemple de Barbedienne », Catherine Chevillot, in Revue de l’Art, 1992, n°95.

Catalogue de l’exposition : « L’art en France sous le Second Empire », Grand-Palais, Paris 1979.

Catalogue de l’Exposition Universelle, les Beaux-Arts et les Arts décoratifs, t. I : l’Art moderne, Paris, 1878.

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Bronze-caster
(1810-1892)

D. Attarge

Chaser
(1820-1878)

Pair of “Alésia” cups

Signed Désiré Attarge Fit and F. Barbedienne Paris

France
Circa 1878

Height : 11 cm (4,3 in.) ; Width : 19 x 11 cm (7,4 x 4,3 in.)

Pair of silvered bronze cups, chased by Désiré Attarge after an antique model (Ist Century), known as the Coupe d’Alésia or Canthare d’Alise-Sainte-Reine (now preserved at Antiquités Nationales Museum, Saint-Germain-en-Laye).

The archaeological excavations led in Alise-Sainte-Reine (Côte-d’Or, France) were commissioned from 1861 until 1865 by His Majesty the Emperor Napoléon III in order to find back the place of the Alesia Siege, led by Caesar against Vercingétorix. As soon as 1866, F. Barbedienne was allowed by the emperor to make a replica of that cup for the Dijon Museum, as well as to reproduce it for his own clients (Coignard, « Agapes impériales », L’objet d’art, juin 1987, p. 30-41). Nowadays, some pieces are known, such the one exposed at the Château de Compiègne or another one presented at the famous Orsay Museum.

One of those cups was presented at the 1878 Paris Universal Exhibition on F. Barbedienne’s stand, where his silvered works after antiques were more appreciated than his common other bronze pieces, which were however very successful.

Biography

Born in 1810, Ferdinand Barbedienne started at n°30 boulevard Poissonnière in Paris one of the most famous 19th century artistic bronze casting companies. He died in 1892. In addition to his personal production, he worked for famous artists such as Auguste Clésinger, Albert-Ernest Carrier-Belleuse and Louis Barrias. At the London Universal Exhibition of 1851, Barbedienne’s firm won two « Council medals ». At the 1855 Universal Exhibition, he won a medal of honor and eleven cooperator’s medals for the work of his co-workers, such as his model designer Louis-Constant Sévin (1821-1888) and his chaser Désiré Attarge (c.1820-1878). D. Attarge won also the Crozatier Prize in 1862 and 1864, which was awarding the France best chaser, and was once again awarded at the 1867 Universal Exhibition with a Silver medal as Barbedienne’s co-worker. Jury’s report was then very explicit : « It’s impossible to show more taste in composition and more maestria in the making of these leaves and elegant flowers, all chased with so extreme delicacy ». The success of Barbedienne’s firm brought him many official commissions, such in about 1860, as Barbedienne supplied bronzes for furniture for the Pompeian Villa of Prince Napoleon, located avenue Montaigne in Paris. Barbedienne’s production was always highly esteemed and he was, himself admired by contemporary art critics who compared him during the 1878 Universal Exhibition to a « prince of industry and the king of bronze-casting ». His glory did not decline with the passage of the time for at the Universal Exhibition of 1889 the critics thanked Barbedienne for the example he set for other bronze-casters by the perfection of his bronzes.

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Ornemanist
(1821-1888)

F. Barbedienne

Bronze-caster
(1810-1892)

A pair of Louis XVI style “porte-fleurs”

Signed F. Barbedienne

France
Circa 1880

Height : 18 cm (7 in.) ; Diameter : 21 cm (8,2 in.)

A lovely Louis XVI style pair of « porte fleurs », each consisting of a vase on his tray, made of pierced and gilded bronze, decorated with four medallions alternating putti and trophies of musical instruments, fruits and doves. A garland of fruits and foliage completes that decoration. The vases are lined with red and blue crystal goblets.

This vase is a creation by Constant Sévin, renowned for his “exquisite compositions”, made for the Barbedienne cast company. It demonstrates the Louis XVI style developed in France in the second half of the nineteenth century, enhanced by the enthusiasm of Empress Eugénie for Queen Marie-Antoinette. Our model is similar to a two handled vase reproduced in the Journal of Decorative Arts in 1888.

Biography

Louis-Constant Sévin (1821-1888) designed as soon as 1839 silver-smith’s objects for famous firms like Denière, Froment-Meurice, Morel and Duponchel. During the Revolution in 1848, he joined Morel in London, as workshop manager and designed pieces that Morel exhibited in 1851. Back in France, he worked in 1855 for Ferdinand Barbedienne as sculptor-ornemanist until the end of his life. Sévin’s works are considerable, he designed furniture bronzes for the « hôtel de La Païva ». At the London Exhibition in 1862, he was awarded a medal for the artistic excellence of the furniture he designed and which was exhibited by F. Barbedienne. He won a second class medal at the Union centrale des Arts décoratifs Exhibition in 1863 and was awarded a gold medal as « cooperator ». F. Barbedienne said that posterity would remember Sévin’s compositions. The most extraordinary object designed by C. Sévin for F. Barbedienne, was a Renaissance style gilded bronze monumental clock, four metres high, for which C. Sévin won a gold medal as well as was awarded the Légion of Honour at the Universal Exhibition in 1878. His triumph was still valid at the 1889 Universal Exhibition.

Born in 1810, Ferdinand Barbedienne started one of the most famous 19th century artistic bronze casting companies. He died in 1892. In addition to his personal production, he worked for famous artists such as Clésinger, Carrière-Belleuse and Guillemin. Barbedienne’s production was always highly esteemed and he was, himself admired by contemporary art critics who compared him during the 1878 Universal Exhibition to a « prince of industry and the king of bronze-casting ». He was there awarded the « Grand Prix » as well as 28 cooperator medals. His glory did not decline with the passage of the time for at the Universal Exhibition of 1889 the critics thanked Barbedienne for the example he set for other bronze-casters by the perfection of his bronzes.

Bibliography

« Les artistes de l’industrie, Constant Sévin », dans la Revue des arts décoratifs, Victor Champier, décembre 1888, février 1889, p.163.

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Sculptor-ornemanist
(1821-1888)

F. Barbedienne

Bronze-caster
(1810-1892)
(attributed to)

Neo-Greek center table

France
Circa 1880

Height : 91 cm (35,8 in.) ; Diameter : 90 cm (35,5 in.)

A similar model exposed at the 1889 Paris Universal Exhibition

Patinated and gilded bronze table with four paw feet joined by X shaped stems. Round green marble top mounted with a bronze rim adorned with oves and pearls motif.

related work

The feet of these gueridons adopt a sleek design and are adorned with claws and lion heads. This model is well known in the Barbedienne Company production and it has been reused many times by his workshop. This gueridon shows how the Barbedienne Company offered a range of furniture from the designs of its decorator Louis-Constant Sévin. He designed this model of gueridon few time after he joined the Barbedienne Company in 1855 and this model can be seen on different interior decorations of the Second Empire.

A tripod gueridon, a little bit higher, with feet like these ones can be seen on a picture showing the atrium of the Pompeiian house built for Prince Napoleon. Most of the Ancient style furniture was made by Charles Rossigneux (1818-1908) but this gueridon shows that the Barbedienne Company took also part to this work.

View of the atrium of the Pompeian style house of the Prince Napoléon

A picture of the Emperor’s study at Saint-Cloud Castle demonstrates that a gueridon of the same type took place in it ; it illustrates the success of this model in the imperial family.

View of the cabinet de l’Empereur à Saint-Cloud (reproduced in Des Tuileries à Saint-Cloud, l’art décoratif du Second Empire)

Some years later the Gazette des Beaux-Arts published an engraving depicting a gueridon exhibited at the 1889 Universal Exhibition. The engraving shows a gilt bronze plate resting on a tripod having identical feet and it reveals the longevity of this model inside the Barbedienne Company production. The caption mentions “Bronze plate designed by Mr Levillain and made by Mr Barbedienne (1889 Universal Exhibition)”.

Guéridon, Exposition Universelle de 1889 (reproduced in Gazette des Beaux-Arts, p. 415)

The neo-Greek style

These gueridons illustrate the neo-Greek style developed in France in the 19th century. Inspired from the Greek Antiquity this style used Ancient features to create new artworks by re-interprating Ancient inspirations with modern taste.
To design these gueridons Louis-Constant Sévin probably drew his inspiration from the Ancient bronze tripods offered to the Greek athletes as a reward for their sport exploit. The Ancient tripod is used by the designer who distorted it from its original form and used it to create a fashionable furniture item.

Biography

Born in 1821 and dead in Paris in 1888, Louis-Constant Sévin was apprenticed to the parisian sculptor Marneuf. In 1839, he joined the sculptor-modelors Phénix and Joyau, as designer, and designed silver-smith’s objects for famous firms like Denière, Froment-Meurice, Morel and Duponchel. During the Revolution in 1848, C. Sévin joined Morel in London, as workshop manager and designed pieces that Morel exhibited in 1851. Back in France in 1851, C. Sévin went to Limoges and designed models for the porcelain factories of Jouhanneaud and Dubois of which many pieces were exhibited at the Universal Exhibition in 1855. From this date on, he worked for Ferdinand Barbedienne as sculptor-ornemanist until the end of his life. Sévin’s works are considerable, he designed furniture bronzes for the « hôtel de La Païva ». At the London Exhibition in 1862, he was awarded a medal « pour l’excellence artistique des meubles qu’il a dessinés et qui sont exposés par Barbedienne » : for the artistic excellence of the furniture he designed and which is exhibited by F. Barbedienne. He won a second class medal at the Union centrale des Arts décoratifs Exhibition in 1863 and was awarded a gold medal as « cooperator ». F. Barbedienne said that posterity would remember Sévin’s compositions. The most extraordinary object designed by C. Sévin for F. Barbedienne, was a Renaissance style gilded bronze monumental clock, four metres high, for which C. Sévin won a gold medal as well as was awarded the Légion of Honour at the Universal Exhibition in 1878. His triumph was still valid at the 1889 Universal Exhibition.

Born in 1810, Ferdinand Barbedienne started one of the most famous 19th century artistic bronze casting companies. He died in 1892. In addition to his personal production, he worked for famous artists such as Clésinger, Carrière-Belleuse and Guillemin. Barbedienne’s production was always highly esteemed and he was, himself admired by contemporary art critics who compared him during the 1878 Universal Exhibition to a « prince of industry and the king of bronze-casting ». He was there awarded the « Grand Prix » as well as 28 cooperator medals. His glory did not decline with the passage of the time for at the Universal Exhibition of 1889 the critics thanked Barbedienne for the example he set for other bronze-casters by the perfection of his bronzes.

The post F. Barbedienne<br />Neo-Greek center table appeared first on Tobogan Antiques.

Sculptor-ornemanist
(1821-1888)

F. Barbedienne

Bronze-caster
(1810-1892)
(attributed to)

Pair of neo-Greek gueridons

France
Circa 1880

Height : 80 cm (31,5 in.) ; Diam. : 50 cm (19,7 in.)

A similar model exposed at the 1889 Paris Universal Exhibition

Pair of patinated and gilded bronze high gueridons with for each of them, three paw feet joined by X shaped stretchers. Round red griotte marble top mounted with a bronze rim, adorned with ove and pearl motifs.

Biography

Born in 1821 and dead in Paris in 1888, Louis-Constant Sévin was apprenticed to the Parisian sculptor Marneuf. In 1839, he joined the sculptor-modelors Phénix and Joyau, as designer, and designed silver-smith’s objects for famous firms like Denière, Froment-Meurice, Morel and Duponchel. During the Revolution in 1848, C. Sévin joined Morel in London, as workshop manager and designed pieces that Morel exhibited in 1851. Back in France in 1851, C. Sévin went to Limoges and designed models for the porcelain factories of Jouhanneaud and Dubois of which many pieces were exhibited at the Universal Exhibition in 1855. From this date on, he worked for Ferdinand Barbedienne as sculptor-ornemanist until the end of his life. Sévin’s works are considerable, he designed furniture bronzes for the « hôtel de La Païva ». At the London Exhibition in 1862, he was awarded a medal « pour l’excellence artistique des meubles qu’il a dessinés et qui sont exposés par Barbedienne » : for the artistic excellence of the furniture he designed and which is exhibited by F. Barbedienne. He won a second class medal at the Union centrale des Arts décoratifs Exhibition in 1863 and was awarded a gold medal as « cooperator ». F. Barbedienne said that posterity would remember Sévin’s compositions. The most extraordinary object designed by C. Sévin for F. Barbedienne, was a Renaissance style gilded bronze monumental clock, four metres high, for which C. Sévin won a gold medal as well as was awarded the Légion of Honor at the Universal Exhibition in 1878. His triumph was still valid at the 1889 Universal Exhibition.

Born in 1810, Ferdinand Barbedienne started one of the most famous 19th century artistic bronze casting companies. He died in 1892. In addition to his personal production, he worked for famous artists such as Clésinger, Carrière-Belleuse and Guillemin. Barbedienne’s production was always highly esteemed and he was, himself admired by contemporary art critics who compared him during the 1878 Universal Exhibition to a « prince of industry and the king of bronze-casting ». He was there awarded the « Grand Prix » as well as 28 cooperator medals. His glory did not decline with the passage of the time for at the Universal Exhibition of 1889 the critics thanked Barbedienne for the example he set for other bronze-casters by the perfection of his bronzes.

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Bronze-caster
(1810-1892)
(attributed to)

A neo-Pompeian Gueridon

France
Circa 1860

Height : 75 cm (29,5 in.) ; Diameter : 61 cm (24 in.)

A tripod gueridon in gilded bronze, decorated with palm-leaves and standing on lion’s feet. The black marble top is decorated with an antique chariot scene and a Greek frieze picked out in red « Pompeian » micro-mosaic.

Similar ornaments were used by the Manufacture of Sèvres for the important dining set known as the « Pompeian set », made of red painted porcelain and delivered to the Prince Napoleon in about 1860 (A part of this set is now exhibited at the Porcelain Museum of Sèvres).

Biography

Ferdinand Barbedienne (1810-1892), the most important caster of bronze pieces of art during the second half of the 19^th Century, created and directed one of the principle artistic foundries of his day. Their illustrated catalogues included many diverse objects such as busts, ornemental sculpture (clocks, candelabras, chandeliers) sometimes even life-sized and also bronzes for furniture. Apart from his own production, Barbedienne worked for the most renowned sculptors such as Barrias, Bosio, Clésinger and Carrier-Belleuse.

At the London exhibition in 1851 Barbedienne’s firm won two « Council medals ». At the 1855 Universal Exhibition, he won a medal of honor and eleven cooperator’s medals for the work of his co-workers. The success of Barbedienne’s firm brought him many official commissions, such in about 1860, as Barbedienne supplied bronzes for furniture for the Pompeian Villa of Prince Napoleon, located avenue Montaigne in Paris. Black and ancient red were the dominant colors in its decor, as it was used for the top of this gueridon. At the 1867 Universal Exhibition in his capacity as member of and speaker for the Jury, he was non-contestant, but exhibited nevertheless with great success some of his great pieces. Barbedienne was made an officer of the Légion d’Honneur in 1867 and Commander in 1878 when he was compared with « a prince of industry and the king of bronze casting ». His glory did not decline with the passage of the time for at the Universal Exhibition of 1889 the critics thanked Barbedienne for the example he set for other bronze-casters by the perfection of his bronzes.

Bibliography

« L’Exposition universelle de 1889 : l’exemple de Barbedienne », Catherine Chevillot, in Revue de l’Art, 1992, n°95.

Catalogue de l’exposition : « L’art en France sous le Second Empire », Grand-Palais, Paris 1979.

Catalogue de l’Exposition Universelle, les Beaux-Arts et les Arts décoratifs, t. I : l’Art moderne, Paris, 1878.

Catalogue de l’Exposition Universelle, les Beaux-Arts et les Arts décoratifs, Paris, 1889.

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Ornemanist
(1821-1888)

F. Barbedienne

Bronze-caster
(1810-1892)

E. Frager

Cabinet-maker

Exceptional display-sideboard

France
Circa 1865

Height : 285 cm (112,2 in.) ; Width : 215 cm (84,6 in.) ; Depth : 70 cm (27,5 in.)

Exposed on the stand of Frager – Maison Meynard at the Salon des industries du mobilier of 1902.
(Reproduced in « La Construction Moderne », planche n° 38)

A two part, neo-Renaissance style, walnut sideboard; the lower part comprising four doors embellished with low reliefs in gilt bronze alternating with four detached columns of red marble with corinthian capitals. The upper part comprises two doors ornamented with gilt bronze low reliefs cast by Ferdinand Barbedienne, representing two nymphs after those sculpted by Jean Goujon in 1547 for the Fountain of the Innocents in Paris. On each side gilt bronze caryatids sheathed in Campan marble and recesses decorated with chains of fruit emphasize the structure of the piece. A pediment bearing the gilt bronze mask of a faun completes the ensemble.

It is part of a dining room set consisting of a monumental display sideboard, a dresser, a table and eight chairs.

Biography

The renowned firm of Meynard was established at 50 Faubourg-Saint-Antoine in Paris in 1812. Created by Guillaume Meynard, the company became famous under the name of Father-and-Son Meynard when in 1833, Guillaume-Mathieu, the eldest child of Guillaume Meynard joined him. His father left his son alone managing the family-owned business from 1848. Guillaume-Mathieu was joined by his son Léon-Guillaume in 1866. The firm was then called Meynard and Son. Under the same name, Léon-Guillaume, then representing the third generation, took leadership from 1873 until 1889 when he sold his business to Eugène Frager. After winning numerous awards at the Products of Industry Exhibitions and later at the Universal Exhibitions (a gold medal won in Paris in 1878), the Frager furnishing and decoration company perpetuated the excellent reputation of the firm by being awarded a silver medal at the Paris Universal Exhibition of 1889.

The low reliefs and other bronze ornaments of this sideboard, of very high standard quality, were cast in the workshops of Ferdinand Barbedienne after designs by Constant Sévin. Those designs had been already used successfully on a bookcase exhibited by Sévin and Barbedienne at the Paris Universal Exhibition of 1867. Ferdinand Barbedienne (1810-1892) started one of the most famous 19th century artistic bronze casting companies. In addition to his personal production, he worked for famous artists such as Clésinger and Carrière-Belleuse. These artists production – as illustrated in their catalogue – varied from busts and ornamental sculptures such as clocks, candlesticks, sconces to decorations for furniture, as shown on our sideboard. Barbedienne’s production was always highly esteemed and he was, himself admired by contemporary art critics who compared him during the 1878 Universal Exhibition to a “prince of industry and the king of bronze-casting”.

Louis-Constant Sévin (1821-1888) designed silver-smith’s objects for famous firms like Denière and Froment-Meurice, before working for Barbedienne as sculptor-ornemanist since 1855. Sévin’s works are considerable, he designed furniture bronzes for the « hôtel de La Païva » and was particularly remarked at the London Exhibition in 1862, where he was awarded a medal. The most extraordinary object designed by Sévin for Barbedienne, was a Renaissance style gilded bronze monumental clock, for which Sévin won a gold medal at the Universal Exhibition in 1878.

Bibliography

L’univers des bronzes, Yves Devaux, Ed. Pygmalion, Paris, 1978.

Exposition Universelle de 1878, Rapport sur les bronzes d’art, Groupe III, Classe 25, p° 26.

Les ébénistes du XIXe siècle, Ledoux-Lebard, Ed. de l’amateur, Paris, 1989, p° 209 & 481.

« Le salon des arts du mobilier », La Revue de l’art ancien et moderne, Paris, impr. Georges Petit, t. XII, juillet-décembre 1902, pp.185-186.

Salon des industries du mobilier, Grand Palais des Champs Elysées, juillet-novembre 1902, organisé par la chambre syndicale de l’ameublement, Paris, impr. Wattier frères, 1902.

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