A Louis XV Style Giltwood and Marble Centre Table

Description

A Louis XV Style Giltwood and Marble Centre Table.

The yellow-veined brèche marble top above a frieze elaborately carved and pierced with rocaille ornament. The front, back and sides carved with leafy branches encircling a winged cartouche with fleur-de-lys and the royal arms of Louis XV. The hipped legs conformingly carved with shells, strapwork and flowers. The giltwood retains its original water-gilding which has a superb richness of hue and colour.

This giltwood table is a fine nineteenth century version after the celebrated example which was presented to King Louis XV in 1736 and remains on display at Versailles.

‘Table des chasses’ de Louis XV

The rococo design is characteristic of Juste-Aurèle Meissonnier, who was made master goldsmith to the King in 1727, then architect and draftsman of the Cabinet to the King. After the death of Messonnier, Michel-René Slodtz was appointed draftsman of the King’s cabinet, and he designed, with the help of his brother Dominique, numerous projects of decorations for public celebrations and for the apartments, in the style of its predecessor. The table at Versailles is part of a set of five tables featuring the royal arms, each with a top of painted stucco covered with plans of the French royal palaces executed by the cartographer Andrieux de Benson.

The Versailles table was shown at the Union central exhibition in 1882, which most likely stimulated the revival of the model and execution of this superb example.

France, Circa 1880.