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Lot Essay
The golden commode, with figurative medallions, is designed in the George III 'Roman' style as an elliptic or demi-medallion commode-table to accompany a window-pier mirror. Its top is mosaiced in rayed compartments and wreathed by a poetic laurel-enriched ribbon; while its frieze is wreathed by festive ivy sprigs, and its 'Apollo' sunflowered pilasters terminate in herm-tapered feet. The door tablet displays a laurel-wreathed medallion of the artist Angelica Kauffman personifying 'the Character of Design listening to the Inspiration of Poetry' engraved by Thomas Burke in 1787. Kauffman's 1782 oil painting of the subject was in the collection of Edward Guinness, later 1st Earl of Iveagh (d. 1919) and formed part of the Iveagh Bequest, Kenwood House, London.
The medallion on the left side of the commode depicts Armida bearing loves rose-garland, and derives from Hubert François Gravelot's engraving of 1771 of Armida and Rinaldo after Torquato Tasso's 16th century epic La Gerusalemme Liberata. These side medallions of nymphs dancing with garlands, relate to those attributed to Cipriani and feature on a commode formerly in the I. Falke collection that was once displayed at Brighton Pavilion (sold Christie's, London, April 1910, lot 236).
The medallion on the left side of the commode depicts Armida bearing loves rose-garland, and derives from Hubert François Gravelot's engraving of 1771 of Armida and Rinaldo after Torquato Tasso's 16th century epic La Gerusalemme Liberata. These side medallions of nymphs dancing with garlands, relate to those attributed to Cipriani and feature on a commode formerly in the I. Falke collection that was once displayed at Brighton Pavilion (sold Christie's, London, April 1910, lot 236).