Combining elements of classical beauty, serpentine mannerism, and romantic imagination, this fine candelabrum demonstrates the breadth of Antoine-Louis Barye's skill as well as his confident ability to work outside the animalier realm for which he is so well known. The present model was conceived en suite with Barye's dramatic group of Angélique et Roger, montées sur l'hippogriffe as a garniture de cheminée for the duc de Montpensier in the 1840s. Barye had recently completed a celebrated equivalent for the duc's brother, the duc d'Orléans, and this was, no doubt, Montpensier's attempt to rival his formidable sibling.

Few examples are known of the present candelabra and Poletti and Richarme note that approximately fifteen pairs were cast during the artist’s lifetime, both during Barye’s association with Martin from 1845 to 1857 and afterwards by various Parisian foundries (M. Poletti and A. Richarme, Barye Catalogue raisonné des sculptures, Paris, 2000, p. 96, F 24). Having acquired the Barye’s atelier sale, the foundry of Hector Brame posthumously edited several additional examples of the celebrated model (M. Poletti and A. Richarme, op. cit., p. 96). In the absence of Brame’s foundry mark, or those of his chaser, Henri Coupens, it is quite possible the present lot may have been cast during Barye’s lifetime (J.G. Reinis,The Founders and Editors of The Barye Bronzes, New York, 2007, 50-51). Similar candelabra can be found in the Musée du Louvre (OA 5870 a-b) and the Musée d’Orsay in Paris (OAO 1375 1-2), The Morgan Library, New York and The Walters Collection, Baltimore (VO.4 (27.168-9)). A further pair was sold Christie’s, 21-22 October 2010, lot 369 ($92,500).