Hollywood Regency Table Lamp Base in Bronze and Quartz by Claude Victor Boeltz, 1980s

Details

Description

Sculptural lamp base in gilded bronze and quartz evoking sea rocks attributed to Claude Victor Boeltz (born in 1937)
Splintered … Read more Sculptural lamp base in gilded bronze and quartz evoking sea rocks attributed to Claude Victor Boeltz (born in 1937)
Splintered bronze technique.
Good overall condition, note a discreet trace of glue on the base of the quartz.
Sold without lampshade.
Circa: 1980.
Height without lampshade in photo: 35 cm / 14 in.
Width: 21 cm / 8.3 in.
Depth: 15 cm / 6 in.
Weight: 3.5 kg.
Each piece by Claude Victor Boeltz is glamorous while retaining a rich organic feel that adds a touch of bold sophistication to any interior. This French surrealist designer popularized a technique he called "bronze éclaté" - a process that makes the metal components of a given piece appear as if they had been liquefied and then crystallized following an explosion.

Boeltz was born in Paris in 1937. There were several artists in his family, and Boeltz quickly developed creative interests from an early age. He was passionate about painting, architecture, ceramics, and much more, but he was also intrigued by scientific fields such as geology and anatomy.

Boeltz studied with the sculptor Henri Molin and apprenticed at the Susse Frères and Houdot foundries. He also took evening classes at the École Boulle in Paris and the Académie d'Art de Paris. He frequented museums and found much to appreciate in the works of artists such as Alberto Giacometti, Demetre Chiparus, Salvador Dalí, and Émile-Jacques Ruhlmann.

After moving to the French Riviera, Boeltz met Pablo Picasso in person. He worked with Picasso for a time and, in the mid-1960s, established a foundry in the Loire Valley. By the late 1960s, his work was gaining recognition throughout Europe (his pieces were sold by companies such as Cartier). In the early 1970s, he met the sculptor César Baldaccini, whose "compression" pieces inspired him to experiment freely, and his "exploded bronze" technique was born.

Boeltz's Hollywood Regency-style furniture—mirrors, chandeliers, frames, lamps, and even ceiling lights—was manufactured using this new process. The designer then set about decorating these "exploded" pieces with semi-precious stones—often African emeralds—or other luminous materials such as quartz and Murano glass. He then opened two foundries to produce this type of work.

In the early 1980s, Boeltz moved his facilities to the United States. He built a large foundry in Vega, and today, Las Vegas hotels are home to several of his works. His collectors include Salvador Dalí, Baron Rothschild, and others.
European Plug (up to 250V).The wiring of this item may be original and might need replacement, if not specified otherwise. See less