Empire / Restauration Centrepiece with Patinated Caryatids and Cut Glass Bowl

Description

Empire / Restauration Centrepiece with Patinated Caryatids and Cut Glass Bowl – France, circa 1814/1815-1830. A rare and finely executed Empire-period centerpiece, featuring a deeply cut crystal bowl supported by three patinated and gilt-bronze caryatids in the form of Egyptian priestesses. Each figure is superbly cast, with contrasting black patina and finely chased gilt drapery, exemplifying the fascination with Egyptomania during the Napoleonic era. The caryatids rest on a dark green lacquered and ormolu-mounted base, circular in form, adorned with finely modelled palmettes and laurel wreaths in gilt bronze. The whole stands on three gilt-bronze feet shaped as lion’s paws with acanthus decoration. A striking and sculptural composition of superb quality, merging neoclassical form with exotic iconography—an exquisite embodiment of French Empire elegance.