Caricature Candlestick c. 1830 - 1850

This humorous bronze sculpture, likely created sometime between 1830 and 1850, is a caricature candlestick. An anonymous artist depicted a man in a top hat and coat, exaggeratedly posed with a cane, as a humorous centerpiece for a home. The use of caricature in this work, a style that emphasizes features for comedic effect, was popular in the 19th century, and it is likely that this figure was inspired by a real person. The work is currently housed at the Minneapolis Institute of Art.