A PAIR OF FRENCH ORMOLU CANDLESTICKS IN LOUIS XV STYLE AFTER A DESIGN BY JUSTE-AURELE MEISSONNIER (FRENCH 1695-1750) the detachable sconces with rose head details on shafts of Rococo style scrolling with a coronet set amongst the foliate scrolls and on a spreading foot (2) 31cm high Provenance Alfred de Rothschild (1842-1918) the Bronzina Room, Halton House, Buckinghamshire Lionel de Rothschild (1882-1942) Edmund de Rothschild (1916-2009) The Trustees of Exbury House Literature Rothschild Archive, London, Manuscript: 000/174/C/3, Christie, Manson & Woods Probate Valuation of 'The Estate of Alfred C. de Rothschild, Esq. C.V.O. Deceased, Halton House Tring'. 1918. Listed as 'A pair of Louis XV ormolu candlesticks chased with compositions of scrollwork, £30.0.0.' Catalogue Note Juste-Aurele Meissonnier (1695-1750) was the leading and most extravagant pioneer of the Rococo style. He was born in Italy, the son of a silversmith and sculptor, but moved to Paris to work for the Royal Gobelins Manufactory. He received his warrant as master goldsmith from Louis XV in 1724. Described by one of his contemporaries as an 'unruly genius, and what's more, spoilt by Italy', he produced designs for chairs, tables, lanterns, candlesticks, clocks and even crucifixes. Meissonnier rendered three drawings of these candlesticks to show their exuberantly asymmetrical design. The drawings were engraved by Gabriel Huquier (1695-1772) and published in Deuxieme Livre des oeuvres de J. A. Meissonnier: Livre de chandeliers de sculpture en argent (1734-35). See an almost identical pair of candlesticks in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, accession number: 1999.370.1a.b,.2a,b. Literature Juste-Aurele Meissonnier: Livres d'ornements en trente pieces and Ornements de la carte chronologique. Jonathan Bourne and Vanessa Brett, Lighting the Domestic Interior Renaissance to Art Nouveau, p.62. Hans Ottomeyer / Peter Proschel, Vergoldete Bronzen, vol. 1, p.104, figs. 2.1.5 and 2.1.6.