Pair of Lantern Sconces in Green-Patinated Metal and Brass with Glazed Panels, French Work, by Pietro Chiesa for Fontana Arte

Each sconce consists of a circular wall plate in metal with an antique green patina, from which springs a truncated-cone arm supporting a quadrangular lantern with glazed panels. The case, topped with a scalloped tole lambrequin, rests on a brass ogee base that warms the whole with its golden glow and shelters the light source. This dialogue between the antique green patina and the polished brass, as well as the sober geometry of the lantern, are characteristic of the French Neoclassical taste of the 1940s, a period when ironworkers and bronziers revisited old lantern models with a thoroughly modern rigour. Condition report: Good overall condition. Original green patina with a fine antique bronze appearance, uniform gilt brass, glazing in place. Wiring to be checked before use. An ideal pair for an entrance hall, a corridor or on either side of a door or a fireplace.