MID-18TH CENTURY

Details

A PORTUGUESE GILTWOOD MIRROR AND CONSOLE TABLE
MID-18TH CENTURY
The shaped rectangular plate within a foliate-carved frame and headed by scrolling foliate ornament, the console with pink breccia marble top above a pierced frieze, on cabriole legs joined by an X-shaped stretcher, inscribed in black ink 'joal*?' and with paper label 'CHRISTIAN JOSE VICENTE R. DE S. BENTO 19, LISBOA, PORTUGAL' to the underside of the marble
The mirror 68 in. (173 cm.) high; 33 ½ in. (85 cm.) wide
The console 34 in. (86 cm.) high; 35 ½ in. (90 cm.) wide; 18 in. (46 cm.) deep

Provenance

With Christian Jose Vicente, Lisbon, Portugal.

Special notice

All sold and unsold lots marked with a filled square in the catalogue that are not cleared from Christie’s by 5:00 pm on the day of the sale, and all sold and unsold lots not cleared from Christie’s by 5:00 pm on the fifth Friday following the sale, will be removed to the warehouse of ‘Cadogan Tate’. Please note that there will be no charge to purchasers who collect their lots within two weeks of this sale.

Lot Essay

This mirror and console table reflect the richness of the artistic production for the court and aristocracy following the economic prosperity in Portugal during the reign of King John V (1706-1750). Resulting mainly from the successful trade of goods, such as gold and diamonds brought from Brazil, this wealth certainly influenced the lavish style of furniture produced around the mid-18th century. Stylistically, they are not dissimilar from carved and giltwood examples produced in Italy during the same period. This rocaille style continued to be favoured and reached its apogee under the reign of King Joseph I (1750-1777).
Various related consoles and mirrors are conserved at the Fondation Ricardo Do Espirito Santo Silva in Lisbon and are illustrated in A. De Brethencourt & F. Jardim de Oliveira, Ricardo do Espirito Santo Silva Foundation, Lisbon, 1995, p. 70 and F. Castro Freire, Mobiliario, Lisbon, 2002, vol. 2, pp. 245-247 (inv. 284 and 800).

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