Pair of Early 19th Century Gilt Bronze Empire-Style Candelabras

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A pair of Empire style gilt bronze light candelabras, which have been patinated. Gold-finish bronze, gilt bronze, also known as … Read more A pair of Empire style gilt bronze light candelabras, which have been patinated. Gold-finish bronze, gilt bronze, also known as ormolu, is a term describing a decorative art object from the 18th and 19th centuries that were gold-finished. The term "gilt" is used to describe a gilded object. The metal below the gilding was traditionally silver in the West, to make silver-gilt (or vermeil) objects, but gilt-bronze is commonly used in China. Gilt bronze is typically created by mixing ground gold with mercury, forming an amalgam. This mixture was then applied to the surface of the bronze using a brass-bristled brushed called a bat.

Empire-style furniture is notable by the size; there was an emphasis on including decorative elements designed to "stop people in their tracks" by the gloriousness of design. Unlike some French styles that admired curved forms, Empire focused on rigidness, flat surfaces, and sharp corners. Most inspiration of Empire-style designs pull from Ancient Greece, Rome, and Egypt. See less