Large pair of gilt bronze andirons, of very high quality workmanship, Paris, dating from the XIX th century.
Each andiron is designed around an antique-style baluster-shaped basin with a slightly bulbous body, painted dark green, adorned with lateral mascarons and highlighted by a rich decoration of hanging floral garlands held by finely chiseled rings. The basin rests on a tripod base with tapered, fluted legs, connected by decorative brackets shaped like acanthus leaves.
The upper section is crowned with a bouquet of stylized flames, an emblematic element of the neoclassical vocabulary, accentuating the vertical thrust of the composition. The garlands cascade naturally down to the base, creating a play of flowing lines that contrasts with the overall architectural rigor.
The richly molded bases rest on small toupie feet. They are decorated on the main face with foliate cartouches and openwork scrolls, while the sides receive plaques with floral decoration in low relief.
The whole piece demonstrates extremely fine chiseling, with perfect control of volumes, a very nuanced depth of relief and great precision in the rendering of floral and ornamental details.
With their balanced proportions, elegantly understated decoration, and exceptional quality of chasing, these andirons are fully in keeping with the production of the great Parisian bronze casters of the late 19th century. XVIIIth century, and can be stylistically compared to the work of Pierre-Philippe Thomire (1751–1843) or his workshop, without formal attribution at this stage.
Height: 53 cm
Width: 34 cm
Depth :14 cm