Torchère figure (one of a pair)
19th century
Medium
Plaster, carved and gilded wood
Dimensions
H. 67 in. (170.2 cm.)
Classification
Sculpture
Culture
French
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of J. Pierpont Morgan, 1906
Accession Number
07.225.195a
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite *Torchère figure*, one of a pair crafted by the renowned French sculptor Augustin Paj in the 19th century, stands a captivating example of opulent European decorative arts. Depicting a graceful nymph—evoking the mythical water spirits of classical lore—the sculpture rises to an impressive 67 inches (170.2 cm.) high. Fashioned from plaster atop carved and gilded wood, it exemplifies the luxurious techniques of the era, where gilding added a shimmering, regal glow to enhance both functionality as a candelabrum stand and aesthetic splendor in grand interiors. Pajou, a master of ne...
About the Artist
Augustin Pajou · 1730–1809
Augustin Pajou (1730–1809) was one of the foremost French sculptors of the second half of the eighteenth century, whose long and distinguished career bridged the Rococo grace of the Ancien Régime and the more sober classicizing spirit that emerged in the revolutionary and Napoleonic periods. Born in Paris into a family with artistic connections — his father was an ornamental sculptor — Pajou showe...