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 at the top of the base
Style: Napoleon III
Decade of the 1870s
Country of origin: France
Good condition considering its age and use.
Total dimensions: 45 x 41 x 15 cm.

Delicious two-light chandelier candelabrum, dated around the 1870s with later electrical installation, in Napoleon III style. Exquisitely crafted by the renowned sculptor and bronzier Victor Paillard, the chandelier features two arms adorned with garlands of flowers and leaves, crafted in ormolu just like the base. On the base, there is a small hand-painted blue porcelain piece in the Sèvres style depicting Cupid shooting arrows. This child figure repeats in the central sculpture that supports the two garland arms, a cherub gathering flowers with its cape. The light arms have glass bases on which an electrical installation has been mounted to hold bulbs, with the socket hidden by opaque blue glass beads. The piece rests on four small gilded bronze feet. An exquisite and unique piece of great aesthetic refinement and timeless beauty.
About Victor Paillard (1805–1886)
Victor Paillard was a renowned French bronze artist and sculptor active in Paris, a key figure in artistic bronze production during the Second Empire. He led 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 Expositions, where he won awards that solidified his international prestige. His pieces are appreciated for their technical precision, the richness of finishes, and the refined Rococo and historicist style that characterizes his work.
National Manufacture of Sèvres
Originally founded in Vincennes in 1740, the Manufacture Nationale de Sèvres moved to Sèvres in 1756. As one of Europe's leading porcelain factories, it successively bore the names of different political regimes: Royal, Imperial, and National. Still active, the company continues to produce objects created since 1740, although its current production is largely focused on contemporary creation.
Founded with the support of Louis XV and Madame de Pompadour, with the idea of creating pieces for the court and competing with the porcelain productions of Meissen and Chantilly. In fact, the first experiments were carried out by brothers Robert and Gilles Dubois, from the Chantilly manufactory. In its early years, the factory mainly produced soft paste; hard porcelain, with kaolin, was not marketed in Sèvres until 1770. It was the first French factory to use fine gold.
During the French Revolution, the factory experienced a decline in production but saw a resurgence between 1800 and 1847 under the leadership of Alexandre Brongniart, which brought 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 involved making the surface shiny by polishing it with aagate stone. The pieces were also decorated with an opaque gold finish, achieved by rubbing gold with very fine sand. It was during this time that, for ornamental vases, the cartouche was established as the central theme, resembling oil painting, with a gilded cartouche on a monochrome background. From the mid-19th century onwards, the dominant styles were eclecticism and historicism, with some models reviving past typologies, such as Fontainebleau Mannerism and Versailles Baroque.

The shipment of the product will be paid for by the buyer according to its dimensions, weight, and destination. We will contact you to arrange the logistics and agree on the budget. Shipping costs include professional custom packaging; personalized shipping, with tracking number, and warranty.
The buyer will be responsible for paying import duties and associated taxes in the destination country, if any. Please note the seller's exemption from liability regarding possible customs charges, as these are levied in the destination country and the amount payable is determined by that country's customs authority.