Pair of Patinated and Ormolu Mounted Horse Model Chenets, After Jacques Caffieri

Description

A Pair of Highly Elaborate and Quite Impressive Patinated and Ormolu Mounted Horse Model Chenets, After Designs by Jacques Caffieri (1678–1755), the Renowned 18th-Century French Fondeur-Ciseleur. Each chenet features a separately cast bronze stallion mounted on an elaborately scrolled gilt bronze plinth in the Louis XV style. The bases are centered with oval medallions cast in relief—one depicting a classical male profile and the other a female profile—framed by ribbon-tied laurel wreaths and surmounted by a knotted bundle motif resembling a stylized fasces. The construction, including thick cast sections, fire-gilt mounts, and iron stabilizing bars to the reverse, indicates 19th-century French manufacture following earlier Caffieri models. The horses are rearing with forelegs lifted, manes windblown, and tails swept to the side, displaying muscular tension and dynamic posture. Their bodies are finished with a rich dark brown patina, while the manes and saddle cloths are deeply chased and textured. The gilt bronze bases rest on bracket feet shaped with toupie forms, scrollwork, and shell-carved ornament. Acanthus sprays and beaded cartouches extend across the lower friezes. The mercury gilding is applied in both matte and burnished finishes, consistent with 19th-century French doré bronze techniques. The rear of each base reveals robust internal casting and iron fittings securing the bronze figures. These chenets were produced in the 19th century in direct reference to models by Jacques Caffieri, who served the French royal court and was a leading figure in mid-18th-century Parisian decorative bronze-work. Caffieri’s original andirons often combined vigorous natural forms, such as horses or lions, with elaborate rococo mounts. The distinctive use of paired medallion portraits and the dynamic scale of the horses are hallmarks of his influence. This pair reflects the enduring popularity of his designs among later 19th-century collectors and decorators during the French historicist revival. France, Circa: 1860

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