103 - Juste-Aurèle MEISSONNIER (1695–1750), after.

Juste-Aurèle MEISSONNIER (1695–1750), after. A pair of gilded and chiseled bronze candelabra in the Rococo style, after a design by Juste-Aurèle Meissonnier created to commemorate the birth of His Highness the Dauphin in 1729. Featuring a scalloped shape, richly modeled with motifs of seashells, acanthus leaves, clasps, and foliage scrolls at the base; the shaft displays three medallions engraved with radiating motifs; at the top, three putti figures support the candleholder. French work, circa 1880. H. 26.5 x D. 14 cm. Related Work The original pair of gilded bronze candlesticks, 1729, held at the Calouste Gulbenkian Museum (inv. 332A/B). History The creation of this set is linked to the birth, in 1729, of Louis, the Dauphin of France, the first son of Louis XV and Marie Leszczyńska and heir to the throne. Indeed, the three figures arranged on the shaft of each candlestick may symbolize the monarchs’ first three daughters —Louise-Élisabeth, Anne-Henriette, and Marie-Louise—as if they were supporting the socket where the candle would be placed, whose light would represent the new heir, ensuring the continuity of the House of Bourbon.