Style Napoleon III / Ref.13616

Ducel foundries, Cast iron lamp depicting Diana of Gabii from an ancient sculpture, second half of the 19th century

This lamp was cast by the Ducel foundry of which it bears the signature, in the 19th century. Resting on its original base adorned with the hunt attributs, also cast by Ducel, our lamp is accompanied by a reproduction of the famous ancient sculpture Diana of Gabii, conserved today in the Musée du Louvre.
this marble sculpture dating from the Roman Imperial period, bears the name of the city in which it has been discovered in 1792 by Gavin Hamilton on the Prince of Borghèse's propriety. Following financial difficulties, he's obliged to sell the sculpture to Napoleon, who placed it in the Louvre Museum where it is exhibited since 1820.
According to the specialists, the original Greek model was made by Praxiteles, very talented sculptor who used to represent Artemis. Neverthelesse, the identification is today questionned because of anachronisms.

It depitcs the hunting and sauvage nature goddess, Diana or Artemis, recognizable by her clothe, a short chiton. Standing up, her weight rest on her right leg, supported by a tree trunk, while her left leg is left free. The goddess is represented while she's attaching her coat.

The Ducel foundry, created by Jean-Jacques Ducel (1801 – 1877), was specialized in the art cast representing originals from museums. Very appreciated in Paris during the 19th century, the foundry won many rewards during the World Fairs of 1851 and 1855. In 1878, the foundry is bought by its competitor the Val d'Osne foudnry which had then gather the catalogue of the Ducel foundry and add the mention « Val d'Osne successeur de ».