Pair of candlesticks
1763–64
Medium
Silver
Dimensions
Height (each): 10 1/4 in. (26 cm)
Classification
Metalwork-Silver
Culture
French, Paris
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Bequest of Ella Morris de Peyster, 1957
Accession Number
58.60.3, .4
Art Historical Context
These elegant pair of silver candlesticks, crafted Parisian silversmith Jean-Françoiszac in 1763–64, exemplify the refined luxury of mid-18th-century France the lavish reign of Louis XV. Standing at 10¼ inches (26 cm) tall, they were designed for illuminating grand interiors, where silver objects like these served as symbols of wealth and sophistication among the aristocracy and bourgeoisie. Balzac, a master of the French trade centered in Paris, these during the waning years of the Rococo style, known for its playful curves and intricate detailing—though specific motifs on this pair reflect ...