Louis-Constant Sevin et Ferdinand Barbedienne

Japanese tray attr. to L.-C. Sevin (Ornamentalist 1821-1888) and F. Barbedienne (Bronzier 1810-1892) France (for the mounting) Japan (for the enamel) Circa 1860 Height 13.5 cm; Width: 68 cm; Depth: 43 cm Beautiful Japanese tray decorated with a rich lakescape in cloisonné enamel on a blue and brown background imitating Aventurine, representing a stream lined with wisteria, chrysanthemums, peonies, irises and reeds, animated by birds and fish. The whole is framed by a frieze of floral motifs. The enamel rests on a magnificent bronze mounting with four elephant-headed feet topped by the typical Barbedienne mantling handles. Biography : Louis-Constant Sévin (1821-1888) began designing goldsmiths' and silversmiths' objects in 1839 for such renowned houses as Denière, Froment-Meurice and Morel. During the 1848 Revolution, C. Sévin joined Morel in London and designed pieces for him, which were exhibited at the 1851 Exposition Universelle. Returning to France in 1855, Constant Sévin worked for the famous bronze-maker Ferdinand Barbedienne, who appointed him as his chief decorator. C. Sévin's work is considerable. Among his two thousand drawings, he produced the bronzes for the furnishings of the Hôtel de La Païva on the Champs-Elysées. His talent was recognized, and at the London Exhibition in 1862, he was awarded a medal "for the artistic excellence of the furniture he designed and which was exhibited by Barbedienne". He was also awarded a gold medal as cooperator at the 1863 Central Union of Decorative Arts exhibition. F. Barbedienne said that posterity would remember Constant Sévin's compositions. The most extraordinary object created by C. Sévin for F. Barbedienne, was a monumental Renaissance-style gilt-bronze clock, four meters high, which earned its creator a gold medal and the Legion d'Honneur at the 1878 Exposition Universelle in Paris. This undeniable triumph continued at the 1889 Exposition Universelle. Born in 1810, died in Paris in 1892, Ferdinand Barbedienne created and directed one of the most important art foundries of the 19th century. In addition to his own production, he worked for such renowned sculptors as Clésinger, Carrier-Belleuse and Guillemin. His work was always highly acclaimed, and he was constantly honored by contemporary critics, who compared him to "a prince of industry and the king of bronze" at the 1878 Exposition Universelle. He was awarded the Grand Prix de l'Exposition Universelle and 28 medals for collaborators. His fame continued to grow, and at the 1889 Exposition Universelle, critics thanked Barbedienne for serving as a master to other bronzemakers, through the consistently exemplary quality of his bronzes.