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Lot 480
Description:
A Pair of Art Nouveau Polychromed Bronze Conservatory "Tree" Floor Lamps, c. 1890-1910, probably French or Italian, each cold-painted, one with a "vine-stem" trunk supporting vine-leaves and grape clusters, the other with a "thorn" trunk supporting rose-branches and blossoms, both naturalistically decorated enameled paints, and both sustained on splendid curvilinear "root-systems", heights 94 in., diameter 40 in.
- Provenance: Provenance: Ex-Collection of Renowned Vieux Carré Antiquarian, Elmo Avet, who owned the legendary gallery on the corner of Toulouse and Royal in the middle years of the 20th century.~ Note: The naturalistic vegetation of these sculptures brings to mind the works of Art Nouveau masters Louis Majorelle and Emile Gallé, who both turned to nature as an inspiration for their designs in furniture, architectural details, and lighting. The "vine-stem" tree bears a particular resemblance to a light fixture created by Gallé with similarly formed vine leaves and tendrils. The "thorn and rose" tree calls to mind the smaller, yet equally naturalistic floral lamps of Majorelle, which can be found at museums such as the Musée d'Orsay in Paris and the Museum of Modern Art in New York City. What makes these two "tree" lamps unique, however, is their size, which is larger than the lamps of Gallé or Majorelle, and the bases of the lamps, which are elegantly shaped into the roots of the trees. Similar features can be found on lamps by Louis Comfort Tiffany; however, Tiffany's forms are predominantly stylized forms of roots that are attached to a heavier base. The fact that these roots curve under the tree to create a free-standing form is a distinctive feature in these beautiful lighting sculptures.
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October 11, 2008 10:00 AM CDT
New Orleans, LA, US
Neal Auction Company
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