Sculptural lamp base in gilded bronze and quartz evoking marine rocks Claude Victor Boeltz (born in 1937)
Burst bronze technique.
Good general condition, note a discreet trace of glue on the base of the quartz.
Sold without lampshade
Circa: 1980
Height excluding lampshade in photo: 35 cm / 14 In.
Width: 21cm / 8.3 In.
Depth: 15 cm / 6 In.
Weight: 3.5KG
REF: NCA17710304
Each Claude Victor Boeltz piece is glamorous while maintaining a rich organic feel that adds a touch of bold sophistication to any interior. This French surrealist designer Calle popularized a technique he called "burst bronze" – a process that makes the metal components of a given piece appear as if they had been liquefied and then crystallized following an explosion.
Boeltz was born in Paris in 1937. There were several artists in his family and Boeltz quickly developed creative interests from a young age. He had a passion for painting, architecture, ceramics and more, but he was also intrigued by scientific fields such as geology and anatomy.
Boeltz studied with the sculptor Henri Molin and apprenticed at the Susse Frères and Houdot foundries. In addition, he took evening classes at the Boulle school in Paris and at the Paris Art Academy. He frequented museums and found much to appreciate in the works of artists such as Alberto Giacometti, Demetre Chiparus, Salvador Dalí, and Émile-Jacques Ruhlmann.
After moving to the French Riviera, Boeltz became personally acquainted with Pablo Picasso. He worked for a time with Picasso, and in the mid-1960s he established a foundry in the Loire Valley. By the late 1960s, his work was noticed throughout Europe (his works were sold by companies such as Cartier). In the early 1970s, he met the sculptor César Baldaccini, whose “compression” pieces inspired him to experiment with abandon, and his “burst bronze” technique was born.
Boeltz's "Hollywood Regency" style furniture - mirrors, chandeliers, picture frames, lamps and even ceiling lights - were made with this new process. The designer then worked to decorate these “flashy” pieces with semi-precious stones – often African emeralds – or other luminous materials such as quartz and Murano glass. He then opened two foundries to produce this type of work.
In the early 1980s, Boeltz moved its facilities to the United States. He built a large foundry in Vega, and today Las Vegas hotels house many of his works. His collectors include Salvador Dalí, Baron Rothschild and others.
