Candelabrum Modernist Birds - Bronze, Marble





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Master marquetry craftswoman with 4 years' expert experience. Trainee auctioneer at Sotheby's Paris.
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Description from the seller
They are two early 20th-century Art Nouveau candelabra celebrating the naturalist fantasy so characteristic of the style, where the line becomes organic and every element seems to arise from a fluid motion. Here the stylized birds, standing with that almost ritual elegance, rest on turtles that act as symbolic and sculptural bases. The combination is striking and very characteristic of the modernist imagination: animals transformed into architecture, living forms turned into support and ornament.
The bronze, worked with detail and softness, shows that warm patina that enhances the volumes and curves. The birds rise with an ascending gesture, while the turtles provide visual stability and a touch of refined humor, as if the piece plays with the idea of lightness and weight at the same time.
The marble base, polished and veined, introduces a noble and serene counterpoint. Its solid mass balances the verticality of the bronze and reinforces the sense of an object more sculptural than merely a candle holder. The marble, with its earthy and creamy tones, dialogues with the gold of the metal and completes the composition with harmony.
Taken together, they embody the spirit of Art Nouveau: stylized nature, fantasy, craftsmanship, and a decorative presence that transforms any space. They function both as functional candlesticks and as luminous sculptures, capable of imparting character and sophistication to an interior.
Certified shipping and good packaging.
Seller's Story
They are two early 20th-century Art Nouveau candelabra celebrating the naturalist fantasy so characteristic of the style, where the line becomes organic and every element seems to arise from a fluid motion. Here the stylized birds, standing with that almost ritual elegance, rest on turtles that act as symbolic and sculptural bases. The combination is striking and very characteristic of the modernist imagination: animals transformed into architecture, living forms turned into support and ornament.
The bronze, worked with detail and softness, shows that warm patina that enhances the volumes and curves. The birds rise with an ascending gesture, while the turtles provide visual stability and a touch of refined humor, as if the piece plays with the idea of lightness and weight at the same time.
The marble base, polished and veined, introduces a noble and serene counterpoint. Its solid mass balances the verticality of the bronze and reinforces the sense of an object more sculptural than merely a candle holder. The marble, with its earthy and creamy tones, dialogues with the gold of the metal and completes the composition with harmony.
Taken together, they embody the spirit of Art Nouveau: stylized nature, fantasy, craftsmanship, and a decorative presence that transforms any space. They function both as functional candlesticks and as luminous sculptures, capable of imparting character and sophistication to an interior.
Certified shipping and good packaging.
