Ferdinand Levillain (1837-1905)
 Pair of lamps
 Bronze
 Nineteenth
 Around 1880
 Signed: F LEVILLAIN E.COLIN & CIE PARIS
 Founder: Emile Colin
 A shine on one of the bases: quote on request
 H. 61.5 - D. 18 cm
 Elegant pair of bronze lamps with finely chiseled brown patina of two bulls, putto, mascarons, garlands of flowers and fruits, they rest on 4 feet with lion's paws on red marble plinths.
 Electrification to European standards on request on estimate.
 Ferdinand Levillain was born December 3, 1837 in Passy, died January 9, 1905 in Paris, and is buried in the cemetery of Sens in Yonne in Burgundy. Sculptor, medalist, medal engraver, he exhibited at the Salon of French Artists from 1861 to 1903. An ornamental artist, he was inspired by antique scenes and models for his cups, cups, vases and lights.
 Ferdinand Levillain followed the teaching of the sculptor Jouffroy (1806-1882), before making his debut in 1861. It was at the Universal Exhibition of 1867 in Paris that he was noticed for having made a neo-bronze cup. Greek, for the house of Blot and Drouard. However he will know the fame in 1871 because of his association with the famous bronzier Ferdinand Barbedienne: they will realize lamps, magnifying glasses, amphorae and candelabras created in the Greek style. He triumphed at the Universal Exhibition of 1878, winning unanimously a Gold Medal for his works in the antique style, which included this neo-Greek vase. The famous bronzier Servant (1828-1890), declares moreover, in his report of the jury on artistic bronzes, that his works are "chiseled like the finest jewels" and are "in such varied and pure forms, are brought to the highest degree of perfection ”. After having received a 1st class medal at the Salon of 1884 for a cup entitled "The Elements, the Months and the Seasons", Ferdinand Levillain won a Silver medal at the Universal Exhibition of 1889.
 He designed a ceramic vase for the Sèvres company in 1903. It is in the collection of the Musée des Ursulines de Mâcon. This design was inspired by both plants, naturalists (snails) and ancient sculptures (nudes, masks).
 Levillain under the direction of Barbédienne delivers to us in a neoclassical repertoire, a superb combination of influences which reveals a taste for eclecticism. Current appreciated by connoisseurs of the 19th century.
 In 1878, a break in collaboration was declared between Levillain and Barbédienne. Despite this, regularly present in auctions, Ferdinand Levillain's productions will always be popular with collectors. Some of the vases on offer have been carefully mounted as a lamp in order to offer them maximum visibility. She is the perfect example of exceptional work and style.
 Indeed, since the discovery of Pompeii and Herculaneum at the beginning of the 18th century, many artists and artistic movements have reinterpreted the dogmas and the major features of the aesthetics of ancient art and crafts. He knew how to bring to a level of excellence never reached his productions of antique style.
 The Musée de Sens preserves a very important collection of works by Ferdinand Levillain. This collection of more than 80 pieces was assembled from donations from the artist, his sister and more recent acquisitions.
 Émile Colin was born on July 24, 1850 in Cherbourg and died on September 11, 1918 in Pont Audemer, and was first a moulder in a foundry in Pont Audemer.
 The E.COLIN et Cie company was born in 1882, after Émile Colin had bought out the E.VIE et Cie company. From the start, the company has solid capital. The foundry is established at 29 rue Sévigné in the 3rd arrondissement of Paris.
 One year later, Émile Colin created a new company keeping the same company name, it is the definitive birth of the company Émile Colin et Cie. The Colin house mainly uses models published by Jean Baptiste Carpeaux (1827-1875). Émile Colin works in particular with two collaborators, Vespierre who is an editor in bronze and the chisel Haan.
 The house acquired great renown in particular for its chandeliers adorned with bronzes composed by René Rozet (1859-1939) or Eugène Marioton (1857-1933), and opened a depot for electric lighting devices at 32 Rue du Faubourg Saint Honoré in the 8th Parisian district.
 The Colin foundry will also produce the statues of the sculptor Félix Carpentier (1858-1924) such as "The song" and "The improviser", which will be presented at the Salon of 1893, and they will meet with great success. It also founds monumental groups, such as the monument bearing the image of "Denis Diderot" by Jean Gautherin (1840-1890), which we can admire at number 145 boulevard Saint Germain in the 6th arrondissement of Paris.
 Émile Colin retired in 1898 and members of his family followed his path, the name became M. COLIN et Cie.
 Then the COLIN house will live from repurchase to repurchase, it will be notably crowned with a prize at the Universal Exhibition of 1900. It is in 1923, that it will find its original name. From 1939, the COLIN house became an antique store until 1950, when it was definitively closed.