lustrous gold bronze and alabaster

Important French chandelier in the Napoléon III style made of gilded bronze and alabaster – 19th century. France, second half of the 19th century, circa 1860–1880. A magnificent and important French chandelier in the Napoléon III / Second Empire style, crafted from finely chased and gilded bronze, adorned with a spectacular 40 cm alabaster bowl featuring particularly rich hues of honey, ochre, orange, brown, and black. The composition showcases an elegant architectural structure decorated with scrolls, acanthus leaves, garlands, and leafy ornaments. The upper part, lantern-shaped, is richly worked and suspended by a decorative bronze chain. The large circular bowl is the most remarkable element of this piece. Its stone exhibits exceptional natural polychromy, with numerous veins and dark inclusions giving the surface an almost pictorial appearance. It is held by a substantial gilded bronze mount adorned with floral motifs and scrolls. The chandelier is completed with opaline glass tulips featuring geometric decoration, diffusing a soft and warm light. This is a particularly spectacular decorative object, intended for a prestigious interior and typical of the eclectic and luxurious taste of the French Second Empire. Electricity has been redone, with no defects on the tulips or alabaster. There is a discreet crack at the top of the shaft, invisible when suspended and does not cause any fragility, as everything is held by a threaded rod inside.