The Home Beautiful: The Parrot Candlestick, 1660-1760

Candle Holder
Porcelain: China, 1660-1760
Ormolu Mounts: French
The Victoria & Albert Museum

 

With the rise of “oriental” motifs in European art, the demand for authentic Asian pieces increased considerably.  The kilns of Jingdezhen in China were called upon to produce table wares and decorative items as special orders for wealthy European clients.  Among the most popular objects created in Jingdezhen were those which featured figures of animals prominently during this period.  These items soon found long lives in the elegant interiors of wealthy homes throughout Europe. 

More often than not, once these glazed porcelain items were imported to Europe, they were fitted with metal mounts which served to make them more fashionable in the West.  Often, these fittings altered the purpose of the object.  Such is the case of this pair of candlesticks.

Ormolu (gilt bronze) were added to these parrot figures, possibly at the Sèvres Porcelain Factory, between 1660 and 1700, so that the sculptures could be used to hold candles.  The parrots are glazed in turquoise and blue.  The beaks are left unglazed for a more natural effect.