Elegant chandelier in gilded bronze and patinated sheet metal from the Empire period lighting up with eight sconces ending in masks of river gods.  Four finely chiseled swans, taking flight from the basin, support the pretty gilt and patinated bronze attachment arms (to my taste, much more refined than the chains).  The latter are attached to a very beautiful ceiling light, consisting of eight large palmettes chiseled with butterflies, acanthus leaves, roses and other flowers.  The lower part of the basin is embellished with a solar shape, made up of eight branches with a farandole of scrolls with flowers and palmettes. The center of the composition gives rise to a large stylized bread apple.  The representation of the swan is attached to the goddess of beauty: Venus. This explains in particular the choice of the Furniture Repository to favor, commonly, the placement of chandeliers or sconces decorated with swans in the bathrooms. Very large chandeliers decorated with swans were also chosen for the salon des princes at the Compiègne palace ( L'Heure, Le Feu, La lumière, Marie-France Dupuy-Baylet, p. 119 ) and the palace of Elysium. The oil lamp is characteristic of the allegories of lighting under the Empire. The decorators Percier and Fontaine also used it in certain large models of candelabra, hot water bottle lamps, wall lights... This is a "flagship" object of the decorative arts of ancient Rome. Beautiful state of preservation, with its original gilding. Formerly carefully prepared for electricity. Empire period. As with most of my art objects and furniture, I am very careful to be able to offer them to you at a very low expert estimate.