Pair of wall lights, Paris circa 1740.

Beautiful pair of finely chiseled and gilded bronze wall lights with two light branches.

The rocaille-shaped stems are made of openwork acanthus scrolls; they are centered with busts of a Chinese man and woman in traditional dress.
Two swirling arms simulating foliage support the twisted cups and bobeches.

Beautifully preserved; in its original gilding.

Louis XV period work circa 1740-1750.

Our opinion:

Our rare pair of sconces stems from the fashion for chinoiserie that swept Paris between 1740 and 1770, reflecting a weariness with classical elements. It satisfies a need for nonconformist fantasy brought into fashion by the literature, theater, and philosophical debate of the time.
In such a context, every man of taste surely dreamed of owning his own Chinese study or salon.
It seems that painted pieces of this kind existed more than one might think in private homes, but few such creations remain, executed for ordinary dignitaries. In the princely residences of Europe, at Chantilly, Champs-sur-Marne, Potsdam, Schönbrunn, and Drottningholm, chinoiserie decorations have been very well preserved.

In addition to François Boucher's woodwork, blue and white porcelain, and the obligatory oriental lacquer chest of drawers, there were a few rare gilt bronzes adorned with Chinese motifs.
Today, we can cite the Chinese-themed cartels and clocks, or the Chinese with an umbrella on the famous elephant clock, but also the pagoda clocks and the bronze-mounted porcelain magots that enriched the many goods brought back by the East India Company for these precious China cabinets.
We can easily imagine our sconces in the small "China" cabinet of a large noble estate.

Similar model:

- Sotheby's Paris Sale Lot 140 December 16, 2004, four Chinese and Chinese-style sconces: €36,000.

- Coutau Begarie sale June 13, 2025, lot 159 series of four wall lights (40,300 euros)