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Gabriel Argy-Rousseau Pâte de Verre "Branches in Bloom" Perfume Burning Night Light
$23,500
Argy-Rousseau's near-unique ability to gracefully soften the starkness of Art Deco design without ever sacrificing the strength of the design is on full display in this remarkable, petite masterpiece. Branches in Bloom, a creation by Argy Rousseau, draws its inspiration from Japanese silk trees. During the early 20th century, Hiroshige's One Hundred Famous Views of Edo gained popularity thanks to Siegfried Bing, the owner of L'art Nouveau. Among these views, the sixty-third one, titled Ayase River and Kanegafuchi, was renowned for its beautiful planting of silk trees, which are a variety of mimosa, adorning the riverbank. Within the captivating nocturnal ambiance, these silk-like filaments, from which the tree derives its name, are vividly depicted through red petals with subtle black accents.
- Product Details
- Curator's Notes
Item #: YEL-21254
Artist: Gabriel Argy-Rousseau
Country: France
Circa: 1927
Dimensions: 7.875" height, 4" diameter.
Materials: Pâte de verre, translucent glass, Wrought Iron
Signed: G. Argy-Rousseau
Literature: Janine Bloch-Dermant, G. Argy-Rousseau, Catalogue Raisonné, London 1990, no. 27.17
The shape of this nightlight was based on Egyptian head cones, perfumed cones of beeswax originally believed to slowly melt and perfume the hair of elite Egyptian women. Argy Rousseau was fascinated with ancient Egyptian aesthetics and the history of perfume. Early in his career, Argy Rousseau designed perfume bottles for Maison Franck. Additionally, he marketed many of his night lights as perfume-burning night lights. Combining historical references and florals epitomized the modernity of Art Deco design, pushing pastiche ornament into the realm of geometric abstraction.