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The design for this monumental candelabrum was commissioned by the Prince of Wales (later George IV) from John Flaxman (1755–1826), the leading British sculptor of his day. The shaft features Mercury, swooping down to deliver the infant Bacchus, Roman god of wine, to the nymphs who raised him, while lions guard the base. The artist, modeler, silversmiths, and gilders all worked under the direction of the royal goldsmiths Rundell, Bridge & Rundell. This candelabrum was originally part of a dinner service commissioned by Sir Richard Sutton for his country house, Norwood Park. Other works by Flaxman and Rundell are upstairs in Gallery 241.
Centerpiece candelabrum
Designed by: John Flaxman (English, 1755–1826)
Modeled by: William Theed (English, 1764–1817)
Marked by: Paul Storr (English, 1771–1844)
Marked by: Philip Rundell (1743–1827)
Made for: Rundell, Bridge & Rundell (English, 1797–1843)
Modeled by: William Theed (English, 1764–1817)
Marked by: Paul Storr (English, 1771–1844)
Marked by: Philip Rundell (1743–1827)
Made for: Rundell, Bridge & Rundell (English, 1797–1843)
English (London)
1816 (centerpiece); 1819 (branches)
Medium/Technique
Silver gilt
Dimensions
Overall: 102.9 × 55.9 × 55.9 cm (40 1/2 × 22 × 22 in.)
Credit Line
Museum purchase with funds donated anonymously in honor of Thomas S. Michie
Accession Number2018.2108
CollectionsEurope
ClassificationsSilver-gilt
Silver
Tools and equipment – Lighting devices
Silver
Tools and equipment – Lighting devices
The design for this monumental candelabrum was commissioned by the Prince of Wales (later George IV) from John Flaxman (1755–1826), the leading British sculptor of his day. The shaft features Mercury, swooping down to deliver the infant Bacchus, Roman god of wine, to the nymphs who raised him, while lions guard the base. The artist, modeler, silversmiths, and gilders all worked under the direction of the royal goldsmiths Rundell, Bridge & Rundell. This candelabrum was originally part of a dinner service commissioned by Sir Richard Sutton for his country house, Norwood Park. Other works by Flaxman and Rundell are upstairs in Gallery 241.
DescriptionThe stem formed as Mercury descending through a cluster of grapevines, delivering the infant Bacchus to the Nymphs of Nysa, each a fully modeled figure in classical dress, on a circular plinth supported by acanthus leaves flanked by three fully-modeled figures of seated Bacchic panthers, or lions, on an incurved triangular base with shell and foliate apron on three scroll and shell feet. The twelve-light branches have six bifurcated scrolling-vine branches, each terminating in two sockets with removable nozzles, the center formed as an acanthus calyx, the base engraved on three sides with a coat-of-arms within acanthus mantling, the nozzles each engraved with a crest, with wood support under base, marked throughout; the base stamped RUNDELL BRIDGE ET RUNDELL AURIFICES REGIS ET PRINCIPIS WALLIAE
REGENTIS BRITANNIAS. The coat and arms and crest are those of Sutton for Sir Richard Sutton, 2d Baronet, who married Mary Elizabeth, daughter of Benjamin Burton of Burton Hall, County Carlow.
REGENTIS BRITANNIAS. The coat and arms and crest are those of Sutton for Sir Richard Sutton, 2d Baronet, who married Mary Elizabeth, daughter of Benjamin Burton of Burton Hall, County Carlow.
Marks
Marked by Paul Storr on centerpiece; marked by Philip Rundell and Paul Storr on branches
InscriptionsRUNDELL BRIDGE ET RUNDELL AURIFICES REGIS ET PRINCIPIS WALLIAE
REGENTIS BRITANNIAS.
REGENTIS BRITANNIAS.
ProvenanceAbout 1819, Sir Richard Sutton, 2nd Bt. (b. 1798 – d. 1855), Norwood Park (original commission) [see note]; by descent through the family to his great-grandson, Sir Richard Vincent Sutton, 6th Bt. (b. 1891- d. 1918), Norwood Park; 1918, to the Trustees of Richard Vincent Sutton; March 31, 1976, Trustees of R. V. Sutton and others sale, Christie’s, London, lot 130. 2007, European private collector; October 26, 2007, anonymous (“European private collector”) sale, Christie’s, New York, lot 138, to an American private collector; October 21, 2011, anonymous (“West Coast Collector”) sale, Christie’s, New York, lot 173, unsold; 2018, consigned by this collector to S. J. Shrubsole, Inc., New York; 2018, sold by Shrubsole to the MFA. (Accession Date: September 26, 2018)
NOTE: Almost certainly supplied by Rundell Bridge and Rundell to Richard Sutton on the occasion of his marriage in 1819, along with a silver dinner service and four candelabra.
NOTE: Almost certainly supplied by Rundell Bridge and Rundell to Richard Sutton on the occasion of his marriage in 1819, along with a silver dinner service and four candelabra.