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Lot Essay
This table relates closely to a group of South German consoles made for both the Ansbach Residenz and the Munich Residenz. They all share exceptionally wide and richly carved friezes and expressive masks heading the deeply incurved legs joined by, again, exceptionally wide stretchers. The effect is particularly dynamic -- they lean way out into the rooms -- as if they were all trying to detach themselves from their walls. Indeed they are early warning signs of the wildly original direction South German furniture design was heading as it entered the rococo period.
It appears that the original models for the present lot were produced in France during the 1720's for the German courts -- but that there were contemporary versions being produced by local German craftsmen as well. Many close examples still remain in the Ansbach and Munich collections (see C. von Pfeil, Die Möbel der Residenz Ansbach, Munich, 1999, nos. 11-15 and G. Hojer and H. Ottomeyer, Die Möbel der Residenz München, vol. II, Munich, 1996, nos. 26, 28-30.).
It appears that the original models for the present lot were produced in France during the 1720's for the German courts -- but that there were contemporary versions being produced by local German craftsmen as well. Many close examples still remain in the Ansbach and Munich collections (see C. von Pfeil, Die Möbel der Residenz Ansbach, Munich, 1999, nos. 11-15 and G. Hojer and H. Ottomeyer, Die Möbel der Residenz München, vol. II, Munich, 1996, nos. 26, 28-30.).