Pair of andirons
 Cat and dog
 Bronze with double patina, gold and brown
 XIX
 Toward  1800
 
 Cat: H.34.2  - L.28  - D.18 cm
 Dog: H. 36 - W. 23.5 - D. 15 cm
 
 Pair of andirons  depicting a bronze cat and a dog with brown patina on their gilt bronze bases, decorated with a drapery falling on the apron sculpted with laurel branches, placed on four twisted fluted feet.
 This pair of andirons is one of the versions following the model executed for the Prince of Condé and delivered in 1773 for the sum of 1120 pounds. Several versions of pedestals are known: a pedestal on four fluted high legs, a pedestal decorated with a drapery falling on the apron sculpted with laurel branches, placed on four twisted fluted legs, a pedestal sculpted with posts finished with ornate square legs macaroons, acanthus leaves mounted on fluted feet of square section. The Caffiéri, Philippe and Jacques are an important dynasty of sculptors and bronziers, of Italian origin, emigrated from Naples to Paris where they work mainly as "sculptors of the king" on behalf of the French crown,  at the request of Cardinal Mazarin. Admitted to the Academy of Saint-Luc as a sculptor, Jacques Caffieri was appointed master foundry-carver around 1715, on his death in 1755, Philippe Caffiéri worked almost exclusively for the royal court and created numerous pieces of furniture for the castles of Versailles, Fontainebleau, Choisy, Marly, Muette and Compiegne. An identical pair is reproduced in: H. Ottomeyer / P. Pröschel, Vergoldete Bronzen - The bronze work of late baroque and classicism, Munich 1986, vol I, page 201 Fig. 3. 14. 12.
 
 Good condition