Elegant pair of chiseled and gilded bronze cassolettes whose lids are transformed into torches. 
The ovoid body is topped with a lid embellished with a wreath of vine leaves and grapes, from which a grip in the shape of a stylized pine cone escapes. 
When the lid is opened, the candle holder part appears. This one punctuated by a frieze of water leaves around its socket.

The body of the cassolette is held by a tripod base, each stem of which rests on a ram's foot, the hock of which has taken the form of an acanthus leaf. 
Each stem then shoots up towards the belt, ending in a ram's head. 

Each Athenian rests on a cylindrical base with triple evolution. 

Also called " brûle-parfum ", cassolettes are found during divinatory ceremonies, which explains the use of goat and ram heads referring to rituals d'offrande.  In mythology, the goat symbolizes fertility, the vital force just like the ram with the difference of the diurnal and solar aspect of the ram unlike the goat which is more often nocturnal and lunar.

Greek mythology gives the ram an important symbolism linked to the myth of the Golden Fleece in particular. The ram was one of the favorite animals of the god Hermes.


Good state of conservation.
Beautiful original gilding, slight wear.

Louis XVI period - Directory, circa 1790

Height: 23cm

As with all of my art objects and furniture, I am very careful to be able to offer them to you at a very low expert estimate.

This pair of cassolettes is photographed in daylight. So you can enjoy it as it really is.
 























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