Pierre-françois Feuchère, Pair Of Zephyr Sconces From The Empire Period.

Superb pair of gilt bronze sconces from the Empire period representing Zephyr, the West Wind.
This beautiful pair of wall lights features one of the emblematic mythological characters of the Empire period: Zephyr, the west wind. The details and the precision of the carvings, whether for the face, the hair or the wings, give the character an almost lively air.

The console sconces bearing the "flame" candle holders, provided with sculpted foliage with superb matte and shiny gilding can already reduce the search for attribution.

Only two bronze artists from the end of the 18th century, beginning of the 19th century are referenced as authors of this model: Claude Galle (1759-1815) and Pierre François Feuchère (1737-1823).
The only notable difference between the two can be seen in the binets:
Those of Pierre François Feuchère are in the shape of flames, where those of Galle are in olives chiseled with palmettes (model that I will have the pleasure of offering you in my gallery in a few weeks).

Attribution confirmed by the documentation: Four pairs of identical sconces "with two flames, arm of light in brackets and zephyr head, gilded bronze" were delivered by Lucien-François Feuchère in 1804 for the Garde-meuble.

Two of these four pairs are kept in the collection of the Hotel de M. Le Marquis de BAYE. (cf: the Empire style, Architecture and interior decorations volume V by Paul Marmottan. Board IV).

Superb original gilding, very good condition.
Formerly electrified.
The cups reported.

I deliberately photographed these wall lights outdoors, in daylight so that you can better appreciate their magnificent original gilding.

Empire period.

Very rare.

Pierre-François (1737-1823, Master gilder) and Lucien-François (1766-1841, Master bronzier engraver):

The workshop, founded by Pierre-François is already very active under the reign of Louis XVI. At the end of the 18th century and in the first two decades of the 19th century, he became the main competitor of Pierre-Philippe Thomire, Claude Galle and André-Antoine Ravrio. His son Lucien-François (active 1780-1828), master engraver, assisted his father in the development of the workshop under the Empire by creating original pieces commissioned by a wealthy French and international clientele, in particular by certain great German aristocrats and Austrians.

Ref: P75UFP1XJK