Important surtout de table en bronze doré et ciselé sur fond de miroir, attribué à l'atelier de Pierre-Philippe Thomire, de la première moitié du XIXe siècle

A French monumental ormolu and mirrored circular surtout-de-table, attributed to the workshop of Pierre-Philippe Thomire, first half 19th century

Footnotes

Pierre-Philippe Thomire (1751-1843), reçu maître-fondeur in 1772.

The border of this exceptional tray is composed of a lavish bacchic procession depicting putti carrying drinking vessels, tazze, vases and other wine containers, all led together by a fruited vine garland, while other putti ride animals and bacchic goats in celebratory procession. The six triangular mirrored sections are embellished on the border by dividing tapering pilaster supports decorated with a vine frieze and surmounted by attributes emblematic with festivity as vases, cups and Bacchus resting thyrsus. The lower frieze border of the frame is also delicately and beautifully cast with palmette motifs, berried ivy border and stiff-leaf ornament. The surtout de table decorative scheme illustrates the pomp and celebration of the table.

This type of surtout-de-table became extremely popular from the Empire period and throughout the 19th century, and was often composed of various elements decorating the luxurious dining tables of the prominent figures of the time. As visible in H. Ottomeyer et P. Pröschel, Vergoldete Bronzen, Munich, 1986, p. 382, these surtouts testified to the luxury and importance of the arts de la table throughout the 19th century. These decorative and spectacular objects were often composed of various separated sections including the pièce maîtresse being a rounded rectangular mirrored tray, or a pair of trays, often centred by a circular one as the one here offered. These trays were the support to numerous ormolu stands, footed fruit tazze, candelabra of different size and other tazze supported by dancing muses and foliate columnar supports. These theatrical and ornamental surtouts were compositions designed and conceived by the best bronziers, either working for Thomire or in the same manner.

Numerous designs of such models are still conserved, as a design for a surtout adorned with cherubs attributed to the atelier of Pierre-François Feuchère, and conserved in the Bibliothèque Nationale de Paris (illustrated in H. Ottomeyer et P. Pröschel, ibid, p. 384, pl. 5.16.5.)

While this exceptional surtout-de-table is not signed, it is very likely to be the work of the atelier of the celebrated bronzier-ciseleur Pierre-Philippe Thomire. The monumental size of this circular surtout and the quality of the ciselure of the frieze, testify the supervision of one of the most talented bronzier-ciseleur of the first half 19th century.

Thomire's reputation reached its apogee under the Empire period when his atelier employed up to 800 craftsmen. His considerable renown and the manpower of his atelier allowed him to win the most important commissions, as those for the refurbishment of the Imperial residences of Fontainebleau and the Grand Trianon.
Thomire collaborated with the most important, cabinet makers, silversmiths and painters of his time.