Pair of Italian Renaissance Pricket Candlesticks

A fine pair of late Renaissance brass pricket candlesticks, each with a broad drip pan surmounted by an iron pricket above a tall baluster stem, raised on a stepped triangular base with lion paw feet. The design combines the robust architectural language of the late Cinquecento with elegant ecclesiastical form, intended for use on church altars or within domestic chapels.
Italian workshops in the late 16th century produced such pricket candlesticks in varying scales, with this pair notable for their elongated baluster shafts and crisp triangular bases, features strongly associated with North and Central Italian centres such as Florence, Milan and Venice. The lion paw feet, symbolising strength and guardianship, further underline their liturgical function, where light symbolised divine presence.
Both examples remain in good condition for their age, with minor restorations to the feet, an expected survival feature given their long service life. The honest traces of repair attest to their continuous devotional use and do not detract from their presence or rarity.