A pair of gilt bronze sconces

A pair of Louis XV style gilt bronze sconces with three light branches shaped as animated foliage and flowers.
The gilt bronze knew in the 18th century an extraordinary development which found its origin under the reign of Louis xiv, with the installation of a foundry for Domenico Cucci at the Gobelins. Bronze allows artisans, under Louis xv, to show the greatest imagination and adapt the new rococo style.
The first part of the reign of Louis XV is marked by the new importance of the ornament which lead to the rococo style.
The term rocaille found its origine in the mineral world and indicate small stones, rocks and piece of glass of irregular form.
Juste-Aurèle Meissonnier (1695-1750) is the first one to use the term rocaille to define patterns inspired of shells of irregular forms or asymmetrical. Once introduced in the interior decoration the shell knew an exceptionnal development. The infatuation for the shells and the minerals are part of general interest for natural history. Rocaille and shells are the basic elements of decoration but also we note the presence of elements from the vegetable, floral and mineral world, sometimes stylized as the leaves and foliage in the friezes, sometimes realistic as laurel or oaks branches, they reflect the predominance of nature as a model.
This pair of Napoleon III sconces use the rococo style popular under the reign of Louis XV.

Bibliography:P. Verlet, Les bronzes dorés français du XVIIIe siècle, Paris, 1999, ed. Picard, p 186