Antique French Pair Caricature Candlesticks

Pair French spelter caricature candlesticks.  These candlesticks mimic political, literary and ecclesiastical figures of the time.  The figure on the left is Harpagon from “L’Avare” (The Miser) by the playwright Moliere and the one on the right is Cyrano de Bergerac, French dramatist and duelist. These are part of a series.

“L’Avare is a 1668 five-act satirical comedy by French playwright and actor Moliere (1622-1673).  This was during the reign of Louis XIV.  Its title translates as “The Miser” when performed in English.  “The Miser’s” plot involves a rich money-lender called Harpagon whose children yearn to escape from his penny-pinching ways and marry their respective lovers. It is a comedy of manners to which the 17th century French upper classes objected.  Moliere is considered one of the greatest masters of comedy and farce of Western literature.  His masterpiece was “Le Misanthrope.”
Cyrano de Bergerac (1619-1655) was a French dramatist and duelist who is best remembered for the many works of fiction which were woven around his life story.  He is usually featured with an overly large nose.  He was a free thinker and his insistence on reason was rare for his time.  He was injured by a falling beam in 1654 while entering the house of his patron. He died a year later at the age of 36.

• French Circa 1880
• Height: 13" | Diameter: 4.5"
• Item #6894
• Price: $2,900