Cleveland Museum of Art

Candelabrum

François Thomas Germain

Date

1757–58

Medium

silver

Culture

France, Paris

Department

Decorative Art and Design

Institution

Cleveland Museum of Art

This candelabrum is part of a pair. Its design blurs the line between function and decoration. The arms twist and curve, appearing as flower stems while physically supporting the candles. Though this visual unity is typical of the Rococo style, the influence of the rising neoclassical style is evident in the allegorical scenes of light that decorate each candelabra’s stem. These candelabra are part of a dinner service sent from Paris, France, to Saint Petersburg, Russia, in two separate shipments, the first of which contained 270 objects for 8 dozen place settings.

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