Style Other / Ref.11101

Malachite and gilt bronze gueridon, end of the 19th century

This three feet gueridon is composed of a gilt bronze foot adorned with elements made of malachite and a malachite inlay circular shelf. It was made at the end of the 19th century, probably in Russia.

The foot shows a rich and original sculpture work composed mainly with geometric shapes and scrolls in relief adorned with malachite pearls and cubes. The foot strut is also adorned with these malachite pearls, it holds between each feet a succession of small circular malachite stones set in suspended bronze scrolls. The three delicate and openwork feet shows a geometric décor finely chiseled and are also adorned with malachite pearls.

The malachite, is an intense green stone because of its high copper composition, which makes it very liked in the 19th century. This stone mainly comes from Russia where important deposit are known since the 17th century, we can name the one called Nijni Taguil, discovered in 1835 and exploited by the Count Demidoff (1812 - 1870).
Used in bloc to create small objects, the malachite can't be used for big pieces as the ones we can make in marble. That's why the technic called “Rusian mosaïc” was invented during the second half of the 19th century : malachite strips are inlaid to create the illusion of a block , allowing to put this extraordinary color on walls, columns or other interior elements like in the Malachite Room in the Winter Palace in Saint Petersburg. It's the Royal stone manufactory of Peterhof and Ekaterinbourg that develop this art which quickly seduces the aristocracy.
This technic is discovered in France when Alexander I of Russia (1777 - 1825) gifted Napoléon Ier (1769 – 1821) a set of malachite element in 1808. Candelabras, big vases and basins are placed in the Emperor Room in Trianon, which became the “Malachite Room”. The new beauty of this sophisticated art creates an important enthusiasm which lasts during the entire 19th century.