Pair of 19th Century French Renaissance Patinated Bronze Ewers Clodion Style

$3,900

About

Make a statement on your mantel with these tall, impressive antique ewers. Crafted in France circa 1870, and built of bronze, each “Aiguiere” (or ewer in English) sits on a heavily ornate base with leaf motifs. The Renaissance style pitcher is dressed with a large handle decorated with vine motifs and ending with a ram head figure, over a sloped spout. The colorful, sculptural ewers depict a Bacchic procession between bands of fruited vines, with cheerful cherubs singing and dancing. The vases are in excellent condition and adorn a rich two-tone gilt and patinated bronze finish. The jars are not signed but attributed to the Maison Giroux, following the design of Claude Michel Clodion. Each ewer weighs 20 pounds! Claude Michel (1738-1814), better known as Clodion, was a virtuoso sculptor in the second part of the 18th century. Recognized at the Académie Royale in 1773, Clodion abandoned the Salon for private customers of financiers and amateurs for whom he realized terracotta scale models, material that has expanded tremendously during the 18th century. The extreme fineness and the high quality of his work reflect the taste of the period for mythological scenes like embraced bacchantes and satyrs. Often linked to Rococo movement, Clodion’s production of large antique bas-reliefs it’s also a symbol of neoclassical movement appearance. Maison Giroux was founded by Francois-Simon-Alphonse Giroux in 1799 at 7 rue du Coq-Saint-Honoré, Paris. The store, specializing in small luxury goods and curiosities, expanded rapidly in the first half of the nineteenth century. 9″W x 7″D x 20″H

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