Style Napoleon III / Ref.10497

Maison MARNYHAC (att. to) - Antique Chinese style firescreen in brown patina bronze, second half of the 19th century

This rare Chinese antique firescreen was made during the second half of the 19th century. This firescreen is attributed to the Maison Marnyhac, specialized in the creation of luxury art object and whose a part was imbued with the chinese and japonizing vogue, beacause of the the quality of the bronze and its beautiful perforated decoration, as well as the style of it,
Maison Marnyhac is the commercial name of a society of bronzes and furniture called Society of Marbles and Artistic Bronzes founded by Charles de Marnyhac and located in Paris Avenue de l’Opera before move to 1, rue de la Paix. She competed with the greatest workshopes of the time, Barbedienne in particular, and the quality of its productions was rewarded during the World Fairs of 1867 and 1878 where Maison Marnyhac won medals. Thanks to his fame, Charles de Marnyhac opened an exhibition in 1875 in London. It closed its doors around 1910.
« In summary, and I conclude on this appreciation of which I am ready to assume all the responsibility, the exhibition of the Maison Marnyhac clearly demonstrated to me that Paris has two Barbedienne, that is to say two art industrialists and the whole of Europe can not oppose other equals personalities. This demonstration was worth a medal of honor; what do you think? » Emile de Bergerat, Les Chefs d'oeuvre d'art à l'Exposition Universelle de 1878, Paris, L. Baschet, 1878, p, 188.
The brown patina bronze decor is very complex and elaborate.The curved frame is richly decorated with volutes and perforated decorations which look like signs inspired by Chinese calligraphy. At the center, on a red bright fabric highlighting the bronze, is represented under a typical architecture a man with a stern look, surely the Emperor, surrounded by his impassible guardians and his subjects, who, on their knees, prostrate themselves behind him. One of them, however, stands and raises his arms to the Emperor, like a prayer. A phoenix and two chimeras whose iconography is close to the dragons encircle the scene. The feet of the firescreen too take the form of monstrous creatures approaching the iconography of the Foo dog.
This attraction for chinoiseries begins in Europe as early as the 14th century and grows especially from the 18th century. Thanks to the eclecticism and the Orientalism during the nineteenth century, Chinese art still has a great success incited by the World expositions. It is during the one in 1867 that European artists have the opportunity to visit the Chinese and the Japanese pavilions that give a breath of fresh air to this exotic inspiration. From then on, painters, decorators and architects will create an eclectic wave, both Japanese-inspired and / or Chinese, which will satisfy the taste for the curiosities and the eccentricities of the 19th century.

Modern fabric.