CIRCA 1800

This pair of jewel-like candlesticks is most likely the product of an Italian workshop whose craftsmen were well versed in the working of hard- and semiprecious stones. At the time of the manufacture of these candlesticks, working with such lavish and costly materials already had a centuries-old tradition in many artistic centers throughout Italy. Workshops such as the Opificio delle Pietre Dure in Florence, just to name the most illustrious one, produced luxurious objects fashioned out of exotic stones. Even though most of these ateliers are nowadays mostly known for their pictorial panels, they also manufactured three-dimensional sculptural pieces. Rooted in this tradition, the last decades of the eighteenth century saw the emergence of new art forms where everyday objects such as clocks, inkwells and candelabra were fashioned out of interesting, and often ancient, stones. The most prominent workshop producing such pieces was that of the Valadiers, father and son, who used a great variety of marbles and hardstones to create the most diverse array of objects from sumptuous centrotavole to small souvenirs for grand tourists, most often inspired by antiquity. Although these candlesticks’ design follows late Renaissance and Baroque prototypes, it is mounted with gilt repousse work very sparingly as not to overwhelm the natural beauty of the stone, similarly how the Valadiers fashioned their works.