Victor Paillard - Table lamp - Bronze, Porcelain

Candelabrum / Lamp, ormolu and porcelain, Victor Paillard, Napoleon III, 1870s - France
Materials: Bronze, ormolu and porcelain
Artist: Victor Paillard
Signed on the top of the base
Style: Napoleon III
Period: 1870s
Country of origin: France
Good condition for its age and use
Overall dimensions: 45 x 41 x 15 cm.

Delightful two-light candelabrum lamp, dated around the 1870s with later electrical installation, in the Napoleon III style. Exquisitely crafted by the renowned sculptor and broncist Victor Paillard, the candelabrum features two arms adorned with garlands of flowers and leaves, created in ormolu as is the base. On the base we find a small blue porcelain piece in the Sevres style, hand-painted, depicting Cupid shooting arrows. This child figure is repeated in the central sculpture that supports the two garlanded arms, a cherub collecting flowers with his cloak. The light arms have crystal bases on which an electrical installation has been mounted to accommodate bulbs, with the socket concealed by opaque blue glass garlands. The piece rests on four small legs of gilded bronze. An exquisite and unique piece of great aesthetic refinement and timeless beauty.

About Victor Paillard (1805–1886)
Victor Paillard was a renowned French broncist and sculptor active in Paris, a key figure in the production of artistic bronze during the Second Empire. He directed one of the most prestigious workshops of the time, collaborating with sculptors such as Pradier and Carrier-Belleuse, and specializing in decorative sculpture, luxury objects, and high-quality bronze reproductions.
He participated in several Universal Exhibitions, where he earned awards that solidified his international prestige. His pieces are prized for technical precision, richness of finishes, and the refined Rococo and historicist language that characterizes his work.

Manufacture Nationale de Sèvres
Founded originally in Vincennes in 1740, the Manufacture Nationale de Sèvres moved to Sèvres in 1756. One of the major European porcelain factories, it successively bore the names of different political regimes: Royal, Imperial, and National Manufacture. Still active, the company continues producing objects created since 1740, though its current production is largely oriented toward contemporary creations.
It was founded with the support of Louis XV and Madame de Pompadour, with the aim of creating pieces for the court and competing with Meissen and Chantilly porcelain productions. In fact, the first experiments were conducted by the brothers Robert and Gilles Dubois, from the Chantilly manufactory. In its early years, the factory primarily produced soft-paste porcelain; hard porcelain, with kaolin, was not marketed at Sèvres until 1770. It was the first French factory to use fine gold.
During the French Revolution, the factory faced a decline in production, but experienced a resurgence between 1800 and 1847 under the direction of Alexandre Brongniart, which gave the factory international fame. During these years, many important technical innovations were made and several contemporary artists collaborated with the factory. During this period a new gilding technique was introduced, which was achieved by brilliant polishing of the surface with an agate stone. Pieces were also decorated with an opaque gilding, achieved by rubbing the gold with very fine sand. It was during this time that for ornamental vases, the cartouche became the central theme, in the manner of oil painting, with a gilded cartouche on a monochrome background. From the mid-19th century, the dominant styles were eclecticism and historicism, and some designs revived past typologies, such as Fontainebleau Mannerism and Versailles Baroque.

The shipment of the product will be paid by the buyer according to dimensions, weight, and destination. We will contact you to arrange it and agree on the budget. Shipping costs include professional custom packaging; and personalized shipping, with tracking number and warranty.
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