Pair of candlesticks (part of a set)
Pair of candlesticks with turned shafts and octagonal bases carved with scrolling acanthus leaves and floral motifs typical for a group of objects made in Nancy, eastern France. The very fine-grained cherry wood, known as “bois de Sainte Lucie,” grew in a nearby forest. Named for the patron saint of the Lorraine region, this type of fruitwood was appreciated for its reddish-brown color and its pleasant smell reminiscent of cinnamon. Furthermore, it lent itself beautifully to carving often in intricate patterns resembling goldsmith work.
These candlesticks would have been part of a larger dressing-table set which would also have included a mirror, a series of different boxes, brushes, and a pincushion. The use of “bois de Sainte Lucie” for dressing-table sets was stimulated by Louis XIV’s sumptuary edicts of 1689 and 1709, which caused much French silver to be melted down.
These candlesticks would have been part of a larger dressing-table set which would also have included a mirror, a series of different boxes, brushes, and a pincushion. The use of “bois de Sainte Lucie” for dressing-table sets was stimulated by Louis XIV’s sumptuary edicts of 1689 and 1709, which caused much French silver to be melted down.
Artwork Details
- Title: Pair of candlesticks (part of a set)
- Maker: Nicolas François Foulon (French, Nancy 1628–1698 Nancy)
- Date: late 17th–early 18th century
- Culture: French, Lorraine (Nancy)
- Medium: Fruitwood (bois de Sainte-Lucie)
- Dimensions: each: 6 3/8 × 4 1/2 in. (16.2 × 11.4 cm)
- Classification: Woodwork-Furniture
- Credit Line: Gift of Rosenberg and Stiebel Inc., 1963
- Object Number: 63.42.6, .7
- Curatorial Department: European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
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Nicolas François Foulon
late 17th–early 18th century
Nicolas François Foulon
late 17th–early 18th century
Jacques Demé
1690–91
French, Lorraine, Nancy
late 17th century
French, possibly Nancy
late 17th–early 18th century
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