A PAIR OF LATE LOUIS XVI ORMOLU FURNITURE MOUNTS EMBLEMATIC OF THE ARTS AND SCIENCES

LATE 18TH FIRST HALF 19TH CENTURY

Details

A PAIR OF LATE LOUIS XVI ORMOLU FURNITURE MOUNTS EMBLEMATIC OF THE ARTS AND SCIENCES
Late 18th first half 19th Century
Each cast in relief with ribbon-tied drapery suspending elements emblematic of the Arts and Sciences, one with a bust emblematic of Sculpture, a palette emblematic of Painting, and a set square and Ionic capital emblematic of Architecture, all above a rose-entwined drapery swag, the other with a globe and calipers emblematic of Astronomy and a flute and musical score emblematic of Music, one with a clean fracture above the globe, now mounted on later red velvet-covered boards
21 3/4in. (55cm. wide); 10 in. (25.5cm.) wide (2)

Lot Essay

Although stylistically these mounts date from circa 1765-70, and certainly the cast, quality of the burnishing and 'pinking' of the gilding would support this early date, the tool used to chase some of the foliage was not introduced until the 1820's or 1830's. Two hypotheses are possible, therefore; the first is that these mounts date from circa 1765-70, but had some rechasing at a later date - perhaps because they remained unfinished in a workshop; the second is that they are 'antiquarian' casts of circa 1820-30.
A related pair of ribbon-tied mounts are found on the cartonnier by I. Dubois in the Wallace Collection, illustrated in P. Hughes, The Wallace Collection, Catalogue of Furniture I, London, 1996, p.313, fig.77.

More from Arts of France: Paintings, Furniture, Tapestries and

View All