A PAIR OF NAPOLEON III ORMOLU WALL BRACKETS

Gaston de Pontalba (d. 1875) was the son of Baroness Micaela Almonester de Pontalba (d. 1874), a wealthy land-owner and matriarch of an aristocratic Creole family in New Orleans, Louisiana. Gaston, the Baroness's second son, was well known throughout New Orleans as an accomplished carver, painter and draughtsman. His mother's station in life and funding of the arts and other public works allowed Gaston to pursue a career as an artist. He is perhaps best-known for his sketches of the city's St. Louis cathedral, which underwent a vast reconstruction in 1849. His reputation as a draughtsman seemingly overshadowed his obvious talent as a sculptor, owing to a small number of decorations that he was known to have produced. This pair of finely-cast wall brackets is exemplary of Pontalba's oeuvre, which heavily favored the Louis XV style. An exceptional clock designed by the artist was sold Heritage Auctions, Dallas, Texas, 19-20 October 2006, lot 33,333 ($62,140).