A pair of ormolu fire dogs by Jacques Caffiéri
"La Poule" and "Le Coq". Depicting a pair of seated figures on rocaille pedestals. The lady adjusts her veil whilst the gentleman takes a pinch of tobacco from a snuff box. The cast iron mountings partially replaced. Engraved on the lower rocaille of the female figure "Caffieri fecit". H of the lady 30.4, W c. 26, H of the gentleman 31, W c. 27 cm.
Paris, marks of Jacques Caffiéri, c. 1750 - 55.
Jacques Caffiéri was the tenth child of the Italian sculptor Philippe Caffiéri (1634 - 1716), who emigrated to Paris and was named "sculpteur du Roi" by King Louis XIV. He was a "marchand-orfèvre" and received his title of "fondeur-ciseleur" in 1714. From 1736 until his death on 23rd November 1755, he produced numerous bronzes for the French royal court. Today, his sumptuous designs can be found in museums throughout the world.
Provenance
Private collection, Westphalia.
Literature
A further pair of figures in the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris, inv. no. 4618. A bei Ottomeyer/Pröschel (ed.), Vergoldete Bronzen, vol. I, Munich 1986, no. 2.4.3. These fire dogs are mentioned in Caffiéri's 1744 inventory, although the lady is described as holding a fan, which is missing both in the version in Paris and the present work.
Cf. also de Bellaigue, The James A. Rothschild Collection at Waddesdon Manor. Furniture and Gilt Bronzes, vol. II., London 1974, p. 848 f.