Nine Light Candelabra with Six Figures, Masks, and Chimeras

Art Historical Context

Antoine-Louis Barye a leading French sculptor of the Romantic era, crafted this *Nine Light Candelabra Six Figures, Masks, Chimeras* around1840. Cast in bronze, the 26-inch-tall piece (66 × 42 cm) exemplifies Barye's mastery of theier style—realistic yet dynamic depictions of animals and mythical creatures. Here, the ornate candelabra supports nine lights atop a base crowded with muscular figures, grotesque masks, and fantastical chimeras, utility with exuberant decoration. Barye revolutionized bronze sculpture through innovative lost-wax casting techniques, allowing intricate details like the chimeras' scaly forms and the figures' tensed anatomies to emerge with lifelike vigor. This work reflects the 19th-century fascination with exoticism and the grotesque, inspired by Renaissance bronzes and ancient motifs, transforming a household object into a sculptural tour de force. Acquired through the Corcoran Collection at the National Gallery of Art, this candelabra highlights Barye's influence on decorative arts, bridging fine art and functionality during France's July Monarchy. Visitors will appreciate its tactile bronze patina and narrative energy, evoking the wild spirit of Romanticism.

About the Artist

Antoine-Louis Barye · 1795–1875

Antoine-Louis Barye (1795–1875) was born in Paris on September 24, the son of goldsmith Pierre Barye and Marguerite Barye. Following family tradition, he apprenticed as a goldsmith under his father and, around 1810, with Martin-Guillaume Biennais, goldsmith to Napoleon. After brief military service, Barye pursued sculpture, studying under François-Joseph Bosio in 1816 and painter Baron Antoine-Jea...