Loading

Pair of decorative bronzes with the figures of L'Etude and La Philosophie

Pierre-Philippe Thomire, Louis-Simon Boizotabout 1780–1785

The J. Paul Getty Museum

The J. Paul Getty Museum
Los Angeles, United States

The reading female represents an allegory of Study, while her male companion who writes on a tablet is Philosophy. These purely decorative objects copy the form of ancient oil lamps, but they were not actually functional.

In 1780 the sculptor Louis-Simon Boizot sold models for these figures to the Sèvres porcelain manufactory, which produced them in unglazed white porcelain until 1786. The bronze chaser Pierre-Philippe Thomire mounted many pieces of the porcelain sold by the factory and therefore could have obtained Boizot's models for these bronze pieces through this close connection.

Show lessRead more
  • Title: Pair of decorative bronzes with the figures of L'Etude and La Philosophie
  • Creator: Pierre-Philippe Thomire, Louis-Simon Boizot
  • Date Created: about 1780–1785
  • Location Created: Paris, France
  • Type: Figurine
  • External Link: Find out more about this object on the Museum website.
  • Medium: Gilt and patinated bronze
  • Terms of Use: Open Content
  • Number: 88.SB.113
  • Culture: French
  • Credit Line: The J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles
  • Creator Display Name: Attributed to Pierre-Philippe Thomire (French, 1751 - 1843, master 1772) after models by Louis-Simon Boizot (French, 1743 - 1809)
  • Classification: Decorative Art (Art Genre)
The J. Paul Getty Museum

Get the app

Explore museums and play with Art Transfer, Pocket Galleries, Art Selfie, and more

Interested in Visual arts?

Get updates with your personalized Culture Weekly

You are all set!

Your first Culture Weekly will arrive this week.

Home
Discover
Play
Nearby
Favorites