Lot 79
A Russian mid-19th century gilt-bronze mounted and parcel-gilt Japanese Imari porcelain twenty four light chandelier most probably by Félix Chopin
9 July 2015, 14:00 BST
London, New Bond Street£20,000 - £30,000
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A Russian mid-19th century gilt-bronze mounted and parcel-gilt Japanese Imari porcelain twenty four light chandelier
most probably by Félix Chopin
the foliate corona issuing six rod supports with foliate paterae mounts, the scrolling branches terminating with bowl-shaped porcelain cups and candle holders, the central bulbous vase body decorated in gilt, iron-red and blue with reserves of scrolling foliage and flowers, 100cm in diameter, 130cm high (39in in diameter, 51in high).
the foliate corona issuing six rod supports with foliate paterae mounts, the scrolling branches terminating with bowl-shaped porcelain cups and candle holders, the central bulbous vase body decorated in gilt, iron-red and blue with reserves of scrolling foliage and flowers, 100cm in diameter, 130cm high (39in in diameter, 51in high).
Footnotes
This chandelier mounted with oriental porcelain, was made fashionable in Russia by the bronzier Félix Chopin who executed a pair of floor lamps in gilt-bronze and Imari-style porcelain for the Grand Staircase at the Yusupov Palace on the Moika Embankment, St. Petersburg and another in the Great Drawing Room at the Kremlin Palace, Moscow. He also produced similar designs for the Chinese Hall at the Tsarkoe Selo and the Arsenal Hall at the Gatchina Palace (see I. Sychev, Russian Bronze, Moscow, 2003, p. 161).
Félix Chopin was the son of the Parisian fondeur Julien Chopin. After beginning his career in Paris he moved to St. Petersburg in 1838 and around 1841 acquired the workshop of Alexander Guérin which was on the verge of bankruptcy. Chopin's principal output was lighting fixtures, producing hugely varied designs for chandeliers, floor lamps, sconces and candelabra. In addition to the previously mentioned Imperial commissions, Chopin also produced chandeliers for the Marble Palace in St. Petersburg (1849), the tsarevich's personal palace in Peterhof (1850) and the palace of Grand Duke Nikolai Nikolaevich (1855-86) (ibid p. 168). He favoured the 'French Rococo' style which gave him the freedom to experiment with exuberant designs and gave rise to his Chinoiserie revival pieces.
