A CARVED-LIME GARLAND AND A PAIR OF CARVED-LIME PENDANTS EN SUITE

18TH 19TH CENTURY, IN THE STYLE OF GRINLING GIBBONS

細節

A CARVED-LIME GARLAND AND A PAIR OF CARVED-LIME PENDANTS EN SUITE
18th 19th Century, in the style of Grinling Gibbons
The garland, with central wreath of fruit, barley sprigs, flowers and palm leaves, flanked by a small hunting horn on either side, lacking a floral 5 in. spray to the end and three small fruiting branches to the lower more prominent sections, with a repaired crack to the palm leaves; the pendants each with a pair of birds surmounting a ribbon-tied floral swag and sprays of fruits, with apples, pomegrantates, pinecones, barley sprigs, bunches of grapes, berries and terminating in tassels, one pendant lacking a 2 in. section from the top floral garland, all with some small losses to the peripheral carving, each mounted on a modern black-painted panel
The garland: 71 in. (180.5 cm.) high; 18 in. (46 cm.) wide
The panel: 74 in. (190 cm.) high; 25 in. (65.5 cm.) wide
The pendants: 72 in. (183 cm.) high; 9 in. (24 cm.) wide
The panels: each 76 in. (195 cm.) high; 13 in. (35 cm.) wide (3)

拍品專文

The naturalistic carvings symbolising 'Peace and Plenty' are conceived in the Louis Quatorze fashion popularised around 1690 by the architect Daniel Marot (d. 1752) and the sculptor Grinling Gibbons (d. 1721), 'Carver in Wood' to William III and Mary II. With their peace trophies of Fame's palm-wrapped and dove-guarded trumpets, they relate to Gibbons' Hampton Court sketches for majestic chimneypiece 'top pieces'. The latters' palm and laurel-festooned trumpets accompanied armorial trophies that recalled the Roman 'Trophies of Marius', and celebrated William's achievement as 'peace-bearer' in 1690; while their beribboned garlands of fruit and flowers also served to recall the 'Golden Age' of Virgil's Fourth Eclogue (D. Esterley, Grinling Gibbons and the Art of Carving, London, 1998, figs. 107 and 109).

Gibbons, celebrated for the naturalistic illusionism of his wood carvings, was described as 'an original genius' and 'a citizen of nature' in Horace Walpole's Anecdotes of painting in England, 1762-71. The present carvings relate to the overmantels executed in his workshops for the Eating Room, Privy Chamber and Withdrawing Room at Hampton Court Palace (Esterley, op cit., pls. 98-100).