PAIR OF TWO-LIGHT SCONCES WITH “CARYATIDS” AND “HORNS OF PLENTY”

Paris, Transition period, circa 1765-1770.
MODEL MARKETED BY THE FAMOUS MARCHAND MERCIER SIMON-PHILIPPE POIRIER (C. 1720-1785)

Chased and gilt bronze.

H. 45.5 cm. (18 in.); W. 33 cm. (13 in.); D. 18 cm. (7 in.).

PROVENANCE: collection of James de Rothschild (1792-1868) at the château of Ferrières (Seine-et-Marne, France).

LITERATURE: Georges Wildenstein, “Simon-Philippe Poirier, fournisseur de Madame du Barry,” Gazette des Beaux-arts, 6^th period, 104^th year, volume LX, Paris–New York, second quarter 1962, p. 365-377 (p. 375); Jean-Pierre Samoyault, “L’appartement de Madame Du Barry à Fontainebleau”, catalogue of the exhibition Madame Du Barry, de Versailles à Louveciennes, presented at the Musée-promenade de Marly-le-Roi – Louveciennes, from 21^st March to 29^th June 1992, Paris, 1992, p. 88 and p. 93, note 9.

This lavish model of two-light sconce was marketed at the end of the 1760s by the famous marchand mercier Simon-Philippe Poirier. On December 10, 1770, Madame Du Barry acquired a pair of sconces of this model from Poirier out of her own funds. Two other prominent figures also owned the model of our sconces: Louis III Phélypeaux (1705-1777), Count of Saint-Florentin, Marquis (1725) then Duke of La Vrillière (1770), Minister of State under Louis XV, and Joseph Duruey (1741-1794), Administrator of the Royal Treasury under Louis XVI.

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