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Western Europe, France, ca. late 19th century CE. After "Egyptien" by Mathurin Moreau (French, 1822 to 1912) for the Val d'Osne Foundry. Cast iron and paint. An exemplary and enlightening cast iron torchiere or streetlamp in the form of a charming Egyptian youth standing atop a Classical baluster. Dynamically posed in a contrapposto stance, the delightful child raises a sizable torch fitted with an electric lightbulb high above his head with his left hand while placing his right on his hip. His slender body is dressed in a shendyt that wraps around his waist with billowing folds of fabric cascading down the front, secured by a slender belt and a sash with a decorative pattern of repeated circles that diagonally crosses from his left hip to his right shoulder. Gold-painted armbands adorn his biceps. Size: 14.8" W x 95.7" H (37.6 cm x 243.1 cm); Size without bulb: 85.7" H (217.7 cm)

He gazes downward, his head bowing under the heavy weight of his pleated nemes and elaborate headband featuring a stylized uraeus, as his cherubic visage displays almond-shaped eyes, a naturalistic nose, and bow lips flanked by fleshy cheeks. Though his body is painted black, save for the whites of his eyes, the youth's clothing boasts vibrant pigments in hues of gold, copper, teal, and maroon. The endearing figure mounts a cylindrical baluster, which showcases relief decoration of floral motifs and is highly embellished with brilliant shades of burgundy, marigold, olive, cyan, and gold on a creamy beige ground. A gorgeous glass covering with swirling indentations to resemble a flame caps the child's torch, allowing him to light the way for passersby. Designed to serve as a streetlamp, this piece is believed to have been exported to the Storyville District of New Orleans in the late 19th century and then moved to the French Quarter around 1914 when the Storyville District was destroyed. A beautiful example of Napoleon III style, exemplifying the period's interest in both the Classical past and the archeological findings of the day!

Napoleon's invasion of Egypt in 1798 to 1801 and the subsequent publication by the French government of the "Description de l'Egypte" (1809-22) awakened a European interest in the culture of ancient Egypt known as the Egyptian Revival, which lasted throughout the 19th century. This example is not only a perfect representation of the Egyptian-revival manner, but also showcases French academic style in the modelling of the child and also derives from a much older European tradition known as the "blackamoor" - a term used to describe stylized and stereotyped portrayals of African people in primitive or orientalist costumes and serving a subordinate or functional purpose.

This figure was based on an iron sculpture made by Mathurin Moreau for Val d'Osne Foundry, which is now located in Musee de Saint-Dizier (inventory number 2012.5.1). The designs for the figure and baluster are published in "Societe Anonyme des Hauts-fourneaux et fonderies du Val d'Osne" (1900. Paris: Impr. Typographique de P. Dubreuil) as plate 577, 36 "Egyptien" and plate 569, K, respectively. According to the National Trust Collections of the United Kingdom, "Val d?Osne was a leading French art foundry that produced high-quality cast-iron ornaments throughout the 19th century and into the 20th. Established in 1835 by J.P. Andre Victor, the firm manufactured an extensive range of products from their Haute-Marne ironworks including candelabra and torcheres, garden sculpture, architectural furnishings and fountains. Casts could be purchased from catalogues or from the company?s Paris showrooms. Val D?Osne expanded to buy out its competitors Barbezat & Cie and Ducel, taking on their pattern books. Barbezat was known for its collaborations with important artists and sculptors, including the academy sculptor Mathurin Moreau (1822-1912)? Moreau modelled for Barbezat and Val D?Osne from 1849 to 1879 and was a shareholder in the company."

Cf. National Trust Collections, Hughenden Manor, Buckinghamshire, England, NT 428756 and Cliveden Estate, Buckinghamshire, England, NT 765997.

Provenance: private Eagle, Colorado, USA collection, acquired in the 1990s

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#168916

Functions as a lamp. Some minor loss and fading of paint on baluster, child's clothing, and child's eyes. Screws visible on left arm and back for wiring, as well as base of figure for attachment to column. Otherwise, intact and excellent with lovely patina.