Spectacular pair of very large candelabras in patinated and gilded bronze representing women draped in the antique style supporting, like canephores, a bouquet of four branches of light in the shape of a cornucopia. They rest on imposing rectangular bases in cherry red marble, adorned with crowns of forget-me-nots and large
 friezes of palm leaves. 
 These candelabra are identical in all respects to those kept at the Palace of Fontainebleau and those in the collections of the Mobilier National (GML 4467/1 and 2). 

 The model for these candelabras was created by the master founder-gilder-chaser François Rémond (1747-1812) in 1785 for the dealer Dominique Daguerre. 
 On August 16 of the same year, he delivered similar candelabras to the Duke of Penthièvre, with circular bases for the amount of 3,400 francs. François Rémond delivered many other copies, including a pair on December 24, 1785 to Princess Kinsky (cf, Christian Baulez: "the Luminaire of Princess Kinsky). 
 These models of candelabra, very popular in very high society, were produced in the workshop of François Rémond from the end of the eighteenth century until the period of the Consulate, the pair of which offered for sale in my gallery is issue. During this short period constituting the beginnings of the first Empire, François Rémond replaced the base with a quadrangular base decorated with crowns of forget-me-nots in gilded bronze. 
 Among the models identical to those proposed, the pair of the Ministry of Defense (illustrated in the book of Marie France Dupuy-Baylet: "the hour, the fire, the light" double page 90 and 91). This pair of candelabra was recorded in 1817 at the Hôtel de Brienne, residence of Letizia Bonaparte, mother of the Emperor, who had owned it since 1805.
 Another identical pair was transferred from Saint Cloud to the Palace of Fontainebleau in November 1804 (cf, Jean Pierre Samoyault: "the furnishing bronzes that entered Fontainebleau during the first Empire", page 155). 

 Museum pieces in very good condition, superb original uncleaned gilding. 
 Photos taken in daylight, without artificial studio lights. 

 Consulate period, around 1800-1803.

 François Rémond (1747-1812, master in 1774) :
 He was one of the most talented and important master gilder-carver bronziers in Paris between 1778 and 1805, a period during which he exercised his activity. 
 Its turnover amounted to 161,000 tournament pounds in 1784, the merchant-mercer Dominique Daguerre paid him alone the sum of 275,000 tournament pounds for the years 1786-1788.
 François Rémond also collaborated with Martin-Eloi Lignereux. 
 Working both as a foundry-carver and as a gilder, he was able to exercise considerable artistic control over his output. 

 Details that we know less, the activity of François Rémond was twofold: on the one hand he provided raw materials and days of journeyman to a foundry which sold him the cast iron; on the other hand, he had this casting transformed and he marketed the parts thus worked and transformed either half-finished, or gilded and chiselled in his own workshops.

 Foremost among his regular Daguerre customers are the cabinetmakers Roentgen (with whom Rémond was privileged in supplying him with most of the ornamental bronzes), Riesner, Frost, the goldsmith Clément, the chaser Gouthière, the watchmakers Lepaute and Lepine. 
 He worked, no doubt on models by Bélanger, for the Comte d'Artois (work at Bagatelle and the Palais du Temple) and for Baudard de Sainte-James; also for the architects Cellerier and Ledoux, and for Thélusson, clients of the latter. 
 Among his important clients, we also note Queen Marie-Antoinette, the Count of Artois, the Count of Adhémar, the Prince of Soubise, the Dukes of Orléans, Laval and Penthièvre, the Duchess of Lauzun, the Marquise de Nicolaÿ, the intendant of Cypierre, the financier Paris de Montmartel, Letizia Bonaparte and Princess Kinsky. 

 The account registers make it possible to follow its activity for about thirty years; they constitute a mine of information for art historians who can locate his works there.
 For information: François Rémond's archives were purchased by the National Archives in 1983. Extreme dates of documents: 1798-1812. Freely Communicable.

 Dimensions :
 Height 104cm
 Basement  19.5cm / 19.5cm

 Literature : 
 -Marie-France Dupuy-Baylet, "Time, Fire, Light: The Bronzes of the Mobilier National 1800-1870", 2010, p. 90 and 91.

 -Jean Pierre Samoyault, "Furniture clocks and bronzes entered under the 1st Empire, National Museum of the Château de Fontainebleau, Catalog of Furniture Collections", 1989, p.155.

 -Charles Baulez, "Princess Kinsky's Luminaire" in "L'Estampille L'Objet d'Art", May 1991, p. 85 and 89.

 -Ernest Dumonthier, "The Bronzes of the National Furniture, Clocks and Cartels", 1910, pl. XXIII, fig. 3, illustrating a similar pattern in national furniture.

 -Hans Ottomeyer and Peter Pröschel, "Vergoldete Bronzen", 1986, p. 686, pl. 13, illustrating a clock with the same figures of female caryatids with casing by Pierre-Victor Ledure from c. 1820.

 I offer you this exceptional pair of candelabras by François Rémond, in line with my policy of selling works of art and furniture, at a very low estimated value of ex.