Lacarrière, Delatour et Cie

Bronziers, lighting (founded in 1825)

A Parisian firm specializing in bronze lighting fixtures, Lacarrière, Delatour et Cie was among the leading figures in 19th-century monumental decoration. Its history began in 1825, when Lacarrière established a manufactory on rue Sainte-Élisabeth in Paris. He quickly distinguished himself in the art of bronze lighting: earning an honorable mention in 1834, a bronze medal in 1839, and a silver medal in 1844 for a grand candelabrum with a triangular base. He also contributed to the lighting of the Queen's Theatre in London. Following several changes in company name, the firm adopted the name Lacarrière, Delatour et Cie. Chandeliers, candelabras, and torchères formed the core of its production, combining casting and chasing of exceptional finesse with the historicist styles in vogue during the Second Empire. Its grandest undertaking remains the Paris Opéra. The firm cast and chased most of the lampposts, candelabras, and chandeliers there, including the auditorium’s monumental central chandelier designed by Charles Garnier. At the 1878 Exposition Universelle, its domestic bronze lighting fixtures were acclaimed for their craftsmanship and purity of taste. At the turn of the 20th century, the firm also executed the monumental candelabras for the Pont Alexandre-III, leaving an enduring imprint on the Parisian landscape.