IN THE MUSEUMS
Eighteen-armed spherical chandelier made of enamelled metal,
glass and chiselled gilded openwork bronze
Circa 1818-1820. By Gérard-Jean Galle
Provenance: Galerie Kraemer
J.Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles.
This chandelier features an impressive blue sphere with small gilded stars in three different sizes. The central part of the sphere features a gilded bronze frieze representing the twelve zodiac signs. The frieze supports eighteen coiling arms, four of which are griffin-shaped. The base of each arm coils around itself, ending with the head of a rooster.
At the bottom of the chandelier lies a glass basin that was meant to hold goldfish. Top of the basin features a chiselled gilded openwork bronze ornament that features an eagle.