An important and rare early 19th century Russian ormolu forty-two light chandelier

Footnotes

A very similar chandelier, with a figure of Mercury in the center, attributed to Ivan Dipner, is in the collection of the Russian Museum in St Petersburg, illustrated in Igor Sytchev, The Russian chandeliers 1760-1830, Saint-Pétersbourg, 2003, p. 182, n°903 et n°904. Another, designed by Carlo Rossi for Mikhailovsky Palace circa 1820 is illustrated in Soloviev, Russian Lighting Devices, Moscou, 1950, pl.220.

The Neoclassical design of the present chandelier can be attributed to the Italian born architect Carlo Rossi (1775-1849) who was seen as one of the most successful exponents on the Empire Style in St.Petersburg. He was named Architect to the Court in 1816 and worked in Imperial residences such as Pavlovsk (from 1814) and the Winter Palace. The Mikhailovsky Palace was built to Rossi's designs between 1819 and 1825 for the Grand Duke Mikhail and Rossi conceived some of the interior decoration including the furniture and lighting.

The manufacturer may have been the German bronzier Ivan Dipner who executed Rossi's designs at Mikhailovsky Palace and worked extensively in the Imperial residences.

This chandelier bears very close similarities to an example formerly in the Collection of Lord and Lady White of Hull which they acquired from Partridge PLC and was sold in their dispersal sale, Christie's New York, 30 April 1997, lot 54.

A Russian Neoclassical twelve-light chandelier attributed to Ivan Dipner after a design by Rossi and dated circa 1820, was previously in the collection of Ariane Dandois, offered at Sotheby's New york, Ariane Dandois sale, 25-26 October 2007, lot 638.

Provenance:

Purchased from Craven International, Jersey in 1987.

Previously advertised by John Hobbs Ltd, London