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A very fine Louis XVI carved giltwood demi-lune grande console, the shaped and moulded demi-lune brêche rose marble top above a conformingly shaped and pierced entrelac frieze hung with abundant laurel leaf swags centred by an ornate ribbon-tied bow, with patera at the angles above acanthus-wrapped tapering stop-fluted legs with foliate vase-shaped capitals and terminated by toupie feet
Paris, date circa 1770-75
Height 91 cm, length 147 cm, depth 65 cm.
This very elegant and finely carved giltwood console typifies the Louis XVI style, both in terms of its overall design and individual decoration. Furthermore it incorporates many elements of the true Neo-classical style, which dominated French design during the last quarter of the eighteenth century. In keeping with this architectural and linear style the console or side table is symmetrically aligned and features overt classically inspired decorations, notably the running entrelac border within the frieze. The frieze is also decorated with abundant laurel swags, the laurel being one of Emperor Caesar’s emblems of victory. The legs supports of architectural proportions incorporate flutes, vase-shaped capitals and are carved with acanthus leaf caps. The latter motifs derived from the thick prickly scalloped leaves of the acanthus plant, often used to decorate the capitals of the Corinthian and Composite Order. Finally the legs are terminated by elegant toupie feet, which again were typical of the Louis XVI style.
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