Bidspirit auction | A GILT CAST-BRONZE OIL LAMP

A GILT CAST-BRONZE OIL LAMP IN THE SHAPE OF A RHYTON, FRANCE, 19TH CEN. - A cast-bronze oil lamp in the shape of a Greek boar-headed rhyton, a type of drinking vessel common in antiquity. The top of the lamp can be removed for easy cleaning and replenishment of the oil. The piece as a whole is set on a nicely shaped alabaster base. Objects like this were often made for wealthy customers who were undertaking the 'Grand Tour', a tour through important European cultural sites which acted as a rite of passage and educational excursion for upper-crust youths from the 17th through the 19th centuries. France, 19th Century. Dimensions: 5 1/8 in., (13 cm.) Condition: Good overall with a nice patina.