L.046

One of the typical French figural lamps with a female figure in French Art Nouveau as the embodiment of Diana, the goddess of the hunt. This cast zinc figure is mounted on a wooden base as usual. The lamp was probably made around 1900-1910.

The female figure is beautifully sculpted in a masterly manner, with an erotic charisma and with a very flirtatious demeanour. The figure embodies the hunting and moon goddess Diana (the brass plate on the base part of the figure is entitled "Diane"), who should have an arrow bow on her left hand. The bow was missing, but the small tube in the hand to place in the bow was existing. The sickle moon under the feet indicates that Diana was also the goddess of the moon. The figure bears the signature of François Hippolyte Moreau, a famous French sculptor (1832-1927), of whom other figural statues are known, both in cast zinc and cast bronze.

The figure was painted completely in a monochrome colour (pale brown, golden shimmering). However, the painting was so damaged and worn in many places that I decided to re-bronze the entire sculpture. The wooden base was painted black. Again, the paint had flaked off in many places. After sanding off the old paint, I painted the base with black patina paint.

The font is made of frosted glass, coloured slightly green at the bottom and painted with garlands of flowers. By chance I was able to bid for a tulip shade on eBay France, which is the counterpart of the font: it has the same ornamentation and colouring!

After adding the missing bow that I constructed with iron wire and after bronzing the whole sculpture with a dark gold tone (Florentine gold), the lamp shines in a new light!

Lamp Data

Added by me:
Burner, glass chimney, tulip shade and globe holder.

Cleaning and repairs:
Constructed an arrow bow for the left hand; the broken edge of the font undermount added; base sanded and repainted; cast zinc sculpture bronzed with gold wax.

Lamp body:
Wooden base made of turned and lacquered wood, Ø 153 mm.
Beautifully modelled, finely cast female figure made of zinc alloy, bronzed, titled "Diane" on an integrated brass plate, signed with H. Moreau (= François Hippolyte Moreau, French sculptor), mounted on the wooden base.
Font made of semi-transparent frosted glass, slightly greenish in the lower area, hand-painted with flowers, Ø 122 mm. Part of the font undermount broken off at the edge.

Burner:
10’’’ Kosmos burner of Hugo Schneider, Leipzig.
Wick knob marked: HS + gear with wings (Logo of Hugo Schneider).
Flat wick 48 mm.

Glass chimney:
10’’’ Kosmos chimney. Height 248 mm, Ø fitter 38 mm.
Marked: Cristal Recuit 10’’’ + crown.

Shade and shade holder:
Tulip shade, frosted glass, colourless at the top, greenish at the bottom, painted to match the font, fluted top rim.
Height 115 mm, Ø fitter 57 and top rim 140 mm.
65 mm globe holder for 10’’’ burners.

Lamp dimensions:
Height up to collar 62.0 cm, total height with chimney 89.4 cm.
Total weight 3930 g.