RARE CHANDELIER DIT DE SAMSON

in copper alloy depicting Samson astride the back of a lion that turns its head towards him, trying with both hands to keep its mouth open. The lion stands firmly on its four short legs. Its mane is spread in triangular, engraved locks. Samson's right leg is pointing towards the front of the animal, while his left is thrown sharply backwards. He is dressed in a flowing robe whose engraved folds follow the movement of his body. His emblematic long hair falls behind his back, from which emerges the hexagonal openwork binet. Probably Rheno-Mosan work from the late 12th or early 13th century. Height: 21.1 cm - Width: 18.5 cm Depth: 9 cm (Wear, small accidents) PROVENANCE - Victor Sanson Collection (1876 - 1948) - By descent to the present day. Our candlestick belongs to a series of very similar pieces made in the late 12th or early 13th century, probably in the copperware workshops that flourished in the region of Lower Saxony / Rhine-Meuse region. A very similar example is known from the Musée des Beaux-Arts de Rouen [R.91.23], a similar one is in the Musée du Louvre [OA 6937] and another of the same subject is in the Walters Art Museum [54.78]. Walters Art Museum [54.784], the latter still bearing traces of a fine gilding, which we can assume was once also applied to our copy. Of the utmost rarity, it would appear that our candlestick is the only one known to be in private hands.