Following Claude Galle's models, 19th century.

Following models of CLAUDE GALLE (Villepreux, France, 1759- Paris, 1815), XIX century.
Pair of candlesticks "retour d'Égypte".
Gilded bronze and patinated bronze.
Measurements: 30 x 14,5 cm (each).

Elegant pair of 19th century candlesticks made following models of Claude Galle, one of the most prestigious bronze artists of the Empire period and official supplier of the court, whose works decorated the palaces of Fontainebleau and Versailles. The fidelity to his designs is evidence of the survival of the Empire taste throughout the 19th century, when the aristocracy and the high bourgeoisie continued to demand forms associated with Napoleonic power and the idea of historical grandeur.

The composition responds to the "retour d'Égypte" style: each piece has a truncated pyramidal shaft in patinated bronze, topped by a caryatid-like female figure, of Egyptian inspiration, treated with neoclassical idealization. The capital and the circular base, decorated with palmettes and vegetal motifs in relief, reveal a meticulous execution.

The contrast between the bright gilding and the dark patina intensifies the elegance of the whole, while the casting and fine chiseling maintain the high technical standards associated with the Galle tradition, seeking precision in every anatomical and geometric detail. More than functional objects, these candlesticks embody the continuity of imperial classicism in 19th century French decoration.