A PAIR OF ITALIAN PATINATED BRONZE AND GILT-BRONZE MARBLE THREE-LIGHT CANDELABRA, ROME LATE 18TH CENTURY

The model for this pair of candelabra has been traditionally associated with the workshop of Giuseppe Valadier on the basis of a drawing sent by him to Charles Tatham (now at the V&A Museum, London, inv.D.1532-1898 - fig.2), which shows a candlestick with a similarly draped maiden holding a vase to her head.

This model copies a classical sculpture of a maiden published by Bartolomeo Cavaceppi in his Raccolta (fig.1) and which was probably acquired by Principe Giovanni Torlonia from the sculptor's auction after his death. This sculpture is still in the Torlonia Collection, Rome.

This figure can be also seen in a signed pair of candelabra by Francesco Righetti (Gonzalez-Palacios, 1984, vol. II, nr.266) and on a pair which Pius VII acquired from his workshop in 1801 (idem, vol. I, ill. LII). It can be seen also on the surtout made by Giacomo Raffaelli for the court of Eugene de Beauharnais in Milan. Raffaelli must have sourced the bronze figures from the Righetti or Valadier workshops, which reveals that the relationships between the most important Roman workshops for luxury objects involved occasional collaborations. One should also note that Francesco Righetti had been a pupil of Luigi Valadier, father of Giuseppe.

The closest pair to the present model is published by Cole (p.226-7) sold by Sotheby’s Milan, 2 December 1998, lot 417. This has similar bases and figures but differs in the vase and scrolling branches. Other comparable pairs, with circular bases, attributed to the Valadier workshop were sold Sotheby's London, 3 July 2012, lot 193, one Christie's Mallorca, 24-25 May 1999, lot 379. Originating from the Braschi surtout de table, there is also a pair of candelabra supplied by Luigi Valadier, now in the collections of the Louvre, Paris (inv. no. VMB892.1/2).