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MONUMENTAL ONYX AND GILT BRONZE CUP WITH POLYCHROME ENAMELS, Napoleon III, 1880
$8,347.24
£6,243.67
€7,000
CA$11,532.39
A$12,574.84
CHF 6,673.34
MX$152,025.69
NOK 84,455.95
SEK 77,415.63
DKK 53,328.44
About the Item
1. Professional and Artistic Description:
We are pleased to present for sale a superb and richly detailed ornamental Cup, testifying to the zenith of French Decorative Arts during the last quarter of the 19th century.
This masterful piece is executed in veined onyx with a milky opacity, a material highly prized at the time (Algerian Onyx) for its ability to showcase gilt bronze mounts.
The cup rests on an elegantly flared foot, which is itself anchored on a circular onyx base. It is the finely chased and gilt bronze mount (possibly mercury-gilded, also known as vermeil), along with the enamel decoration, that gives the object its exceptional character:
- Enamel Decoration: The neck and pedestal are encircled by spectacular friezes of polychrome cloisonné and champlevé enamels. The technical excellence of the foundry is revealed in the finesse of the molten mesh that structures the motif before the insertion of the enamel powder. These ornaments display a Neo-Greek and Orientalist repertoire of palmettes, arabesques, and stylized floral motifs in a vibrant color palette (lapis blue, turquoise, carmine red, white).
- Handles (or Mounts): Two majestic handles (or a single handle, depending on the piece), richly worked in gilt bronze, rise from the onyx body. Their sinuous shapes, sculpted with leaf elements and scrollwork (rinceaux), reflect the exuberance and taste for detail characteristic of the era.
2. Historical Context and Attribution (Circa 1880):
This cup is the perfect illustration of the Eclectic style popular under Napoleon III and the Third Republic. It is in the taste and spirit of the production of the prestigious Maison Ferdinand Barbedienne (1810–1892).
Ferdinand Barbedienne, described as the "prince of Industry and king of bronze," is famous for having reintroduced and perfected the technique of enamels on bronze, often in collaboration with the talented ornament designer Louis-Constant Sévin (1821–1888). Pieces combining onyx, gilt bronze, and enamels, presented at the Universal Exhibitions, were symbols of luxury and artistic innovation.
3. Commercial and Collector's Interest:
This type of object, combining the cold nobility of onyx with the warm glow of gilt bronze and the shimmer of enamels, is a powerful decorative piece and a social marker of the 19th-century Haute Bourgeoisie.
Its state of conservation, the purity of its lines, and the virtuosity of its ornamentation make it a choice acquisition for any discerning collector of art objects from the Napoleon III/Belle Époque period, or for anyone wishing to bring a touch of historical opulence and unmatched refinement to their interior.
- Dimensions:Height: 12.6 in (32 cm)Diameter: 9.45 in (24 cm)
- Style:Napoleon III (In the Style Of)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:Circa 1880
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use.
- Seller Location:Ixelles, BE
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU10116247937652
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