Centrepiece dish with tritons - Gods of the seas - gilt bronze and marble sculpture, 19th c

Mythological cup with Tritons - Gilded bronze & marbles, 19th century. An exceptional decorative element.

This sculptural bowl from the 19th century embodies the refinement and symbolism of Antiquity. Three gilded bronze tritons, powerful half-man half-fish figures from marine mythology, support a veined Tuscan marble bowl in a solemn, sculptural gesture. Their dynamic, expressive posture, combined with the precision of the chasing, gives the piece a dramatic, almost architectural feel. The tritons rest on a round base in multiple marbles (Mazy black, veined red) supported by three bronze ‘animal claw' feet.

These tritons with their double tails and bifid beards could represent hybrid marine divinities, protectors of the deep, older than Triton himself - like personifications of the primordial elements of the sea, halfway between man, sacred monster and forgotten god.

This piece is in fine condition, with a few light dents and traces of wear on the rim of the bowl.

It could very well be placed in the centre of a table as a presentation dish, or on a desk as an inkwell...

Mythological interpretation of newts with double tails and bifid beards:
The figures depicted here are most likely inspired by Triton, the sea god son of Poseidon (Neptune in Roman times) and Amphitrite. However, these figures go beyond the simple classical representation of the single triton: they possess amplified and hybridised attributes, characteristic of certain secondary mythological figures or later Baroque/Neoclassical interpretations.

Double fish tail:
In mythology, mermaids and certain marine genies (particularly in medieval or Baroque iconography) are sometimes depicted with two tails, a symbol of absolute mastery of the aquatic element.

The double tail can also suggest a more powerful or ancestral supernatural being, an evolution of the classic triton into a marine demon or a secondary chtonian deity, capable of swimming in several directions, and therefore omnipresent or omnipotent in its element.

Bifid (two-pointed) beard:
In ancient representations, the beard was a sign of wisdom, virility and authority.

The bifurcation can be read as a symbol of ambivalence or duality: the sea is both nourishing and destructive, calm and raging.

From a formal point of view, it also evokes tentacles or seaweed, reinforcing the fusion between man and the forces of the sea.