Alphonse Giroux - Candlestick - Patina - Diablo

A rare decorative bronze candelabrum made by the Paris workshop of Alphonse Giroux. The composition features an expressive figure of the devil with a tail in a dynamic pose, holding a glass cylinder. Inside the cylinder is the bronze candle holder. The base is decorated with ornaments and bears the mark ALPH. GIROUX PARIS. Maison Giroux was a well-known Paris workshop that produced decorative art objects and artistic bronzes during the nineteenth century.

During the nineteenth century, in Europe, a growing process of secularization reduced the direct influence of religion on public life. At the same time, there arose a strong cultural fascination with the mysterious, the demonic, and the occult. These themes appeared frequently in the art, literature, and decorative objects of the era, making figures like the devil popular motifs within the decorative arts.