ON HOLD
THIS FIREPLACE IS PUBLISHED BOTH IN THE LOUIS XVI SECTION AND IN THE EMPIRE SECTION, THIS IS BECAUSE WHILE IT IS TRUE THAT THE EMPIRE STYLISM (HERE I AM REFERRING TO THE “FIRST EMPIRE,” THAT OF NAPOLEON BONAPARTE) STEMS FROM THE NEOCLASSICAL STYLISTIC MATRIX AND MORE PRECISELY LUIGI XVI, IT IS ALSO TRUE THAT IN THE NAPOLEON III PERIOD (WHO WAS EMPEROR FROM 1852-1870) THE BASIC STYLISM OF THE FIRST EMPIRE WILL LOSE CERTAIN TOO AUSTERE AND/OR SPARTAN ASPECTS AND WILL BE DECISIVELY “REFINED.”
AND ALSO, EXCUSE ME, I WOULD NOT MAKE TOO MUCH DIFFERENCE BETWEEN NAPOLEON BONAPARTE AND NAPOLEON III, THE LATTER IN FACT A) WAS DESCENDED FROM THE FORMER (HE WAS HIS NEPHEW AS HIS BROTHER'S SON), B) HAD HIS OWN DEFECT OF WANTING TO BE EMPEROR AT ALL COSTS, C) WAS A PROPONENT OF FRENCH GRANDEUR (IT WAS HE WHO BUILT, AT THE COST OF DEMOLISHING THE CENTER OF PARIS, THE CHAMPS ELYSEES) AND HE TOO, D) AFTER A MILITARY DEFEAT ENDED UP IN EXILE.
TALIS ZIUS TALIS NEPOTEM!!! (MACHERONIC LATIN BUT VERY UNDERSTANDABLE).
ALL THIS PARROT TO BE ABLE TO SAY THAT, AFTER ALL, EVEN THE SO-CALLED “SECOND EMPIRE” IS NOT AT ALL SECOND TO THE “FIRST EMPIRE.”
AND IN ANY CASE, BOTH CAN BEAR THE TITLE OF “EMPIRE.”
NOW LET'S GET TO THE ACTUAL COMMENTARY ON THE FIREPLACE IN THIS FILE:
IMPORTANT CARRARA STATUARY FIREPLACE. THE FINESSE OF WHOSE SCULPTURE IS SUCH THAT, TO SURPASS IT, ONE WOULD HAVE TO BRING MICHELANGELO BUONARROTI BACK TO LIFE.
ITS IMPORTANCE, OF DESIGN AND SCULPTURE, JUMPS OUT AT THE EYE EVEN TO THE LAYMAN, WHICH IS WHY, ALTHOUGH I WOULD LOVE TO “RANT” ABOUT IT TO DEATH, I WILL LIMIT MYSELF TO SPEAKING ONLY OF ITS COST, WHICH IS AMONG THE HIGHEST IN OUR WAREHOUSE
IT'S REMARKABLE, NO DOUBT ABOUT IT, AND UNFORTUNATELY IT'S NOT AFFORDABLE, BUT IT JUST SO HAPPENS THAT IF I EVER TOOK THIS FIREPLACE TO A MAJOR ANTIQUES AUCTION IN LONDON OR PARIS, I WOULD GET MUCH, MUCH MORE FOR IT..
WHAT I MEAN, IN SHORT, IS THAT MANTELS LIKE THIS FIND ADMIRERS INTERNATIONALLY AND THEIR FINDING PRICES ARE INCREASINGLY. “STELLAR.”
I MYSELF SWALLOWED WHEN I HEARD THE SELLER'S FIRST REQUEST, AND I ADMIT THAT I THOUGHT ABOUT IT A LITTLE BEFORE DECIDING ON ITS PURCHASE BECAUSE MY FINANCES ARE NOT THE SAME AS DUCKON DE DUCKONI'S..
BUT IT WAS SO FASCINATING, THIS FIREPLACE, AND FINE, THAT I SOON FELL INTO THE MOST CLASSIC... ENCHANTEMENT.
AND I BOUGHT IT!!!
