A PAIR OF FRENCH ORMOLU AND CLOISONNE ENAMEL LOBED JARDINIERES-ON-STANDS

These jardinières of Chinese cloisonné enamel atop neo-grec sphinx tripod stands are exemplary of the meubles et objets fantastiques exhibited at the Great Exhibitions during the second half of the 19th century by the industriels d'art Barbedienne, Maison Marnyhac, Christofle and Servant. These monoliths of art production, particularly Christofle and Barbinienne, utilised considerable revenues made from the mass production of bronzeware and silver electroplate to employ designers including Frédéric-Eugène Piat, Edouard Lièvre, Louis-Constant Sévin and Emile Reiber to create fantastic works of art for public display which demonstrated the considerable technical expertise of their manufactories. These maîtres ornemanistes mixed styles, often taking inspiration from diverse sources ranging from antiquity to the Orient, and created new designs for the scrutiny of the juries at the Great Exhibitions.
The present jardinières can be attributed to Maison Marnyhac whose repertoire was extensive, incorporating 'tous les styles et toutes les epoques’, Pompeian, Chinese and 'Japonisme’, including two large 'Chinese’ cloisonné vases supported by elephant heads exhibited in 1878. Compare a cloisonné enamel gueridon signed Maison Marnyhac sold Christie’s, London, 6 March 2014, lot 190.