Louis XVI style table centerpiece, Napoleon III period, ca. 1870.

Louis XVI style tabletop centerpiece, Napoleon III period, ca. 1870.
Gilded bronze and Bohemian cut crystal.
Measurements: 34 x 60 x 26 cm.

The ornamental motifs of this table centerpiece are reminiscent of examples of the decorative art of the period known as Louis XVI, but reinterpreted to suit the aesthetic taste of the nineteenth century. The Louis XVI style, which flourished in France in the second half of the 18th century, was inspired by classical antiquity and was one of the most representative of Neoclassicism. This fame and value meant that, subsequently, it continued to be one of the most frequent sources of inspiration for other objects.

The piece in bidding harmoniously combines elements from different periods: Baroque or Empire in a fanciful and decorative mixture typical of the historicist context. The bronze ornamentation stands out especially for the quality of the chisel work, which reproduces with great expressiveness the texture of each element. The wheel-cut Bohemian crystal vessel denotes a taste for quality workmanship.