Style Louis-Philippe / Ref.17931

Jean-François GECHTER (1796-1844) - Pair of candlesticks with warriors

This extraordinary pair of candlesticks was made out of bronze by Jean-François Gechter around 1850. Two warriors in armor are represented in Gechter's particular style. The Louvre Museum in Paris has a very similar pair of candlesticks. The rediscovery of these candlesticks is exceptional due to their extremely high quality and to the rareness of this model that was previously only known thanks to the Louvre Museum's model.
The warriors strongly support the hefty flags topped with shields to which the lights are attached. Wearing chain mail and finely crafted armor, the warriors are also carrying their arms, a hatchet and a dagger, in their belts.

The remarkable depiction of the warriors' armor, the attention to detail for the chain mails, the weapons, and the faces lead us to attribute this artwork to Jean-François Gechter . The sculptor accomplished incredible variations in texture for this piece: the roughness of the chain mail, the chiseling of the details on the armor and the faces, with a sense of Romanticism. A student of Bosio and Baron Gros, Gechter made these objects during the Romantic movement. He enjoyed historic themes that allowed him to express his talent for ancient scenes, featuring characters with elaborate, sometimes anachronistic and imaginative costumes, representative of his poetic side. In this way, this pair of candlesticks epitomizes Gechter's art.

The pair that is kept at the Louvre Museum is made of silvered and gilt bronze, thus using the variations in color and effects. Based on the same design, these candlesticks are different, as they are topped off with an animal helmet that does not exist on the Louvre's pair.