French 1870 Third Empire Napoleon III Pair Of Urns In Marble With Gilded Bronze Ormolu

Pair of mythological Urns from the French third Empire period.

Fabulous decorative pieces, created in Paris, France during the period of the Third French empire under Napoleon III (1852-1870), circa 1860's. They was carefully carved in solid Sienese white-cream marble with reddish brownish veins and decorated with gilded bronze ormolu elements.

Both pieces are embellished, with motifs of garlands, tassels, trimmings and bows of neo-classical patterns, chiseled in gilt bronze. At the top, there is a rectangular band with details of multiples dancing cherubs gathering grapes, which represent the triumph of Bacchus. On the sides, it is decorated with two mythological horned busts of Bacchus, the king of wine. The lids are crowned, with a pair of pine-nuts elements.

The details and scenography composition of the cherubs in these pieces have an attribution very similar to that made by the 18th and 19th century French sculptor, Claude Michel Clodion.

They have a measures of 21.25 by 8.5 by 7.5 Inches (54.6 x 21.6 x 19 Cm) on a squared base of 5 by 5 inches (12.7 x 12.7 Cm).

Dionysus, (Bacchus for the Romans), was the god of the grape-harvest, winemaking and wine, of fertility, orchards and fruit, vegetation, insanity, ritual madness, religious ecstasy, festivity and theatre in the ancient Greek culture. The iconographic theme on this sheet refer to the legend of the triumph of Dionysus, or as the Romans called him, Bacchus the god of the grape harvest, winemaking and wine, the son of Zeus and Semele. The Bacchanalia was a religious festival in honor of the wine god, Dionysus.

They are in perfect condition, with no discolorations or oxidations, the bronzes are in great shape with even patina.

INVENTORY REF: D0000MOEN/.1111