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拍品专文
This marble-topped table is designed in the George II 'Roman' fashion popularized by the Rome-trained artist and architect William Kent (d. 1748), however dating from the later ‘Kentian revival’ of the early nineteenth century.
The dolphins' entwined bodies supporting a shell are emblematic of Venus and evoke The Triumph of Love, derived from Kent’s illustration of a ‘fountain’ tail-piece, illustrated in Alexander Pope’s translation of Homer's Odyssey in 1725/6 (see M. Wilson, William Kent, 1984, fig. 18). This pattern of table was possibly invented by the architect Henry Flitcroft, Clerk to the Board of Works, under the direction of William Kent (d. 1748), for John, 2nd Duke of Montagu (d. 1749). Flitcroft supervised the building and furnishing of Montagu's residence at Privy Gardens, Whitehall Palace. A group of Palladian furniture is known to have been removed from Whitehall to Montagu's house at Boughton, Northamptonshire, which may have included such Dolphin pier tables. These tables, which remain at Boughton, are attributed to Flitcroft and Benjamin Goodison (d. 1767). Payments to Goodison from Montagu appear in the Boughton accounts from 1737-1742 (T. Murdoch (ed.), Boughton House, 1992, p. 135, fig. 136, n. 27). Goodison is also known to have supplied a 'carved and gilt dolphin frame to match another' to George Brudenell, 4th Earl of Cardigan (d. 1790) in 1741, who also employed Flitcroft as architect for his London residence in Dover Street in 1732.
For a George II example almost identical to the present lot, previously in the collection of Sir Osbert Sitwell, 5th Bt. (1892-1969) see Christie’s, London, 23 November 2006, lot 70 (£60,000, including premium). A pair of similar 19th/20th century dolphin tables were sold in Rooms as Portraits: Michael S. Smith; Christie’s, New York, 26 September 2018, lot 9 ($52,500, inc' prem').
The dolphins' entwined bodies supporting a shell are emblematic of Venus and evoke The Triumph of Love, derived from Kent’s illustration of a ‘fountain’ tail-piece, illustrated in Alexander Pope’s translation of Homer's Odyssey in 1725/6 (see M. Wilson, William Kent, 1984, fig. 18). This pattern of table was possibly invented by the architect Henry Flitcroft, Clerk to the Board of Works, under the direction of William Kent (d. 1748), for John, 2nd Duke of Montagu (d. 1749). Flitcroft supervised the building and furnishing of Montagu's residence at Privy Gardens, Whitehall Palace. A group of Palladian furniture is known to have been removed from Whitehall to Montagu's house at Boughton, Northamptonshire, which may have included such Dolphin pier tables. These tables, which remain at Boughton, are attributed to Flitcroft and Benjamin Goodison (d. 1767). Payments to Goodison from Montagu appear in the Boughton accounts from 1737-1742 (T. Murdoch (ed.), Boughton House, 1992, p. 135, fig. 136, n. 27). Goodison is also known to have supplied a 'carved and gilt dolphin frame to match another' to George Brudenell, 4th Earl of Cardigan (d. 1790) in 1741, who also employed Flitcroft as architect for his London residence in Dover Street in 1732.
For a George II example almost identical to the present lot, previously in the collection of Sir Osbert Sitwell, 5th Bt. (1892-1969) see Christie’s, London, 23 November 2006, lot 70 (£60,000, including premium). A pair of similar 19th/20th century dolphin tables were sold in Rooms as Portraits: Michael S. Smith; Christie’s, New York, 26 September 2018, lot 9 ($52,500, inc' prem').