BELLE ÉPOQUE GILT BRONZE FIREPLACE FENDER WITH CHENETS
Bouhon, Paris, circa 1900

Sand-cast gilt bronze, marked BOUHON PARIS in several areas

12 1/2" H x 5 1/2" D x 52" W [approximate depending on positioning of fender]

A good decorative Belle Époque gilt bronze fireplace fender with flanking chenets. The composition is arranged as a long central rail with a scrolling rocaille cartouche at the middle flanked by urn finials and opposing figural end supports.

Each end is modeled with a seated putto set within an arched framework of pierced lattice and rising acanthus scrolls. The forms draw from the Louis XV revival taste that remained highly fashionable in France at the turn of the twentieth century, combining rococo movement with the crisp finish and symmetry associated with Parisian bronze furnishings of the period.

The piece is both architectural and decorative, designed to frame the hearth and give emphasis to the fireplace as a central element of the room. 

Condition: Good condition, re-gilded at some point in the 20th century, all figures sturdy and in good repair; trace oxidization, discoloration and grime to figures and elements throughout. 

ref. 603KPY27P