Lot n° 348
Estimation :
10000 - 12000
EUR
Result without fees
Result
: 10 000EUR
SILVER BURNER. - Lot 348
SILVER BURNER.
By SCHARFF, St. Petersburg, 1794.
Of cylindrical form, resting on an Athenian base ending with ram's feet, held by a chain with large openwork links, the whole is finely chased with a decoration of acanthus leaves, water leaves and a garland of pearls, the upper part opening by a screw is wound with two snakes.
Very beautiful work of style Louis XVI.
Mark title: Saint Petersburg, 1794.
Goldsmith's mark: Johann Scharff, active from 1767 to 1808.
H.: 22 cm - L.: 10,5 cm.
Weight: 954 g.
History : Scharff is known for the snuffboxes he made for Empress Catherine II and which are now kept in various museums (Louvre - OA 6768, L'Ermitage-E4483, E4692-83, E4491 and private collections). In these conditions, it is legitimate to wonder about the sponsor of our perfume burner, knowing that the empress was enthusiastic about the neoclassical taste and ordered through the French sculptor Etienne-Maurice Falconet in July 1772 collections illustrating the "Costumes of the ancient peoples for the use of artists" (cf. Correspondance de Falconet avec Catherine II (1767-1778), published by Louis Réau, Paris, éd. H. Champion, 1921, letter 132, p. 182). This publication was considered at the time to be more of an imaginary creation by the artist-engraver Michel-François Dandré-Bardon, rather than a systematic inventory of the ancient world, and nevertheless bears witness to the infatuation that prevailed at the time and that Catherine II wanted to see imitated by her architects and artists in all possible forms. Indeed, the work is richly illustrated on the ways of obtaining the favours of the gods, by offering them flowers and other pleasant perfumes: "the altars of paganism were of two kinds (...) when it was only a question of simple libations, sacrifices (...) of incense and aromatics (...)". The author continues: "The tripods were almost as common in the temples as in the altars (...) on the feast days of the divinities, one lit the sacred fire (...) and one burned, in their honor, incense and perfumes (...)". (cf. Michel-François Dandré-Bardon, Costumes des anciens peuples, vol. 1, Paris, 1772, 1st booklet, plate 6, 3rd booklet, plates 3 and 5). In addition to its antique inspiration, the object, by its density and its quality of execution, is very probably part of a furniture suite for one of the imperials of St Petersburg.
Reference : see in the book "Architect to Georg III", by Sir William Chambers, edited by John Harris and Michael Snodin, on page 75, a drawing very close to our perfume burner, after William Chambers, (A Treatise won the Decorative Part Of Civil Architecture, 1791, preserved at the Victoria and Albert Museum in the National Art Library)
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