Grand Tour Model of the Luxor Obelisk

Finely cast gilt bronze model of the Luxor Obelisk, enclosed within a delicately rendered fence and mounted on a polished black marble plinth. France, mid-to-late nineteenth century. Height 10½ inches (26.5 cm). In excellent condition, retaining a bright and remarkably fresh gilt surface. A scarce and particularly attractive example of this iconic Parisian souvenir.

The prototype represents the celebrated obelisk erected in the Place de la Concorde, Paris, where it remains one of the city's most recognizable monuments. Carved from granite during the reign of Ramesses II, the obelisk originally formed one of a pair standing before the entrance to the Temple of Luxor in Upper Egypt. Presented to France by the Ottoman viceroy of Egypt, Muhammad Ali, it was transported to Paris in a remarkable engineering feat and ceremonially erected in the Place de la Concorde in 1836 during the reign of King Louis-Philippe.

The arrival of the monument captured the imagination of contemporary Europe and coincided with a growing fascination for Egypt stimulated by Napoleon's expedition and the subsequent development of Egyptology. Finely executed bronze models of the obelisk became popular Grand Tour souvenirs and cabinet ornaments.

The present example is distinguished by the quality of its casting, the careful rendering of the hieroglyphic decoration, and its exquisite and bright gilding. The surrounding fence — often lost or detached — faithfully reproduces that enclosing the monument itself, adding a further element of architectural interest and refinement. An elegant decorative object, combining the appeal of Egyptian revival with the history of one of Paris's most celebrated monuments.