French eighteenth-century gilt-bronze objects, known as bronzes d'ameublement, include clocks, fire dogs, mounted S?vres porcelain, wall lights, candlesticks and candelabra, and epitomise the levels of luxury achieved in Parisian interiors. Highly expensive and expertly wrought, they illustrate the heights of skilled craftsmanship achieved by French bronze workers as well as showcasing the wealth and connoisseurship of their owners. The book draws on exceptionally fine pieces by leading makers from the Wallace Collection's renowned collection and assesses them both as works of art and as important elements within Parisian interiors of the day. In doing so it demonstrates how these works were directly linked to fashion and the neo-classical movement in art and were part of a unified aesthetic promoted by the greatest designers and commissioned by the most influential patrons. An extended introduction places gilt-bronzes in the context of French interior design and provides information about their manufacture. The book is lavishly illustrated throughout with new photographs of highlights from the Wallace Collection making it a true celebration of the bronze maker's art.
