Forge work

Large floral candlesticks that stand on three curved legs, above which rises a shaft decorated with bi-conical knots and crowned by a large fleur-de-lis with curved petals and stamens. The shaft ends in a point, where a small dish is fitted, to collect the wax that dripped down. The candlesticks called ‘lily', a name coined by historians in the early 20th century, are copied from the fleurons that crowned the tops of grilles, on which large painted candles were stuck to illuminate the sacred space during the major liturgical festivals. The Museum has another pair with an arborescent structure (MEV 456 and MEV 635).