Pair of seated "putti"

This pair of seated cherubs or putti in solid bronze, measuring approximately 20 cm in height, represents a refined example of French decorative sculpture from the late 19th and early 20th centuries (c. 1880–1920), a period marked by the revival of historical styles during the Belle Époque. The work depicts two winged infants in a serene, contemplative pose, arranged in mirror symmetry upon naturalistic rock bases while holding delicate floral garlands or bouquets in their laps. Stylistically, the pieces fall within a Neo-Baroque and Neo-Rococo aesthetic of strong academic lineage, characterized by the pursuit of grace, compositional lightness, and a soft, rounded anatomical study of childhood. These figures trace their conceptual and iconographic roots back to the great tradition of 18th-century French sculpture, taking as their main source of inspiration the classicist and galant models of masters such as Étienne-Maurice Falconet, Louis-Félix Delrue, and most notably Claude Michel (known as Clodion), whose mastery in rendering cherubs and seasonal allegories set an enduring aesthetic canon in European decorative arts. Although the pieces bear no visible signature enabling an attribution to a specific sculptor, their painstaking manufacturing process —cast in lost wax or sand molding with fine cold-chasing to define the curly locks, feather details on the wings, and drapery folds— suggests they originated in the thriving Parisian art foundries of the era, such as Barbedienne, Susse Frères, or Colin, which specialized in high-quality cabinet bronzes and ornamental accents for clock garnitures or mantelpieces of the upper bourgeoisie. The rich dark patina with coppery brown undertones, coupled with the natural golden highlights and wear emerging on the raised surfaces over time, imparts a notable visual warmth and an undeniable historical and heritage value to the pair.