Rare Pair of French Empire Dore Bronze Genie Oil lamps w/ Medusa Masks

Description

Rare Pair of French Empire Period (Circa 1810) Dore Bronze Genie Oil lamps of finest quality, chasing, and two tone gilding w/ Medusa Masks on Gray Marble Bases Each lamp is conceived in a genie form, defined by an elongated body that narrows toward a forward spout and expands through a rounded central section. The profile rests on a fluted pedestal rising from a stepped gray marble base with a square plan and softened corners. Removable covers follow the upper contour of the bodies and are fitted with loop handles cast as intertwined branches with leaves and berries. Across the rims and shoulders, the bronze surfaces carry scrolling foliage, rosettes, and textured grounds arranged in organized bands. From the rear, arched handles extend upward and terminate in Medusa masks positioned at the base of the curve, the heads framed by braided hair and set beneath plume-like crests. Cast in bronze doré, the lamps display a consistent gilt surface that brings clarity to the relief work without obscuring detail. The detachable lids seat cleanly into the upper openings and lift away to expose the interior cavities. Stepped marble bases elevate the lamps and provide firm support, while the undersides retain original fastening points that secure the bronze pedestals to the stone. Decorative elements remain evenly modeled across both examples, with the foliage, masks, and ornamental borders maintaining uniform scale and definition. The design aligns with Parisian workshop production of the early nineteenth century, where vessel-inspired forms were combined with mythological ornament drawn from antiquity. Medusa masks appear frequently in Empire period decorative bronzes, serving as focal elements on handles and mounts. The pairing of gilt bronze with gray marble bases reflects standard Parisian assembly practices of the period, in which cast components were chased, finished, and mounted onto stone supports. The proportions, materials, and decorative structure place the lamps securely within this Paris tradition, consistent with bronzes produced around 1810.

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