Louis XIV-Style Console Table

This Italian console table is exemplary of the grand architectural furnishings that were popular amongst the upper classes during the late 18th and early 19th century in both Italy and England. Carved with the opulent, weighty decoration that characterized the Baroque period, this table is masterfully crafted in the Louis XIV style. With a solid red marble top completing the design, this console would make a grand statement in the well-appointed home.

Certainly a special commission, the base is lavishly carved in stunning detail from a rich hardwood with traces of gilding. Acanthus leaves and floral swags curve around the base, while four beautiful maidens lend support to the tabletop. Other striking decorative elements include a lion’s mask and a shield surrounded by oak branches, a traditional symbol of strength, stability and nobility.

This console table perfectly illustrates the design conventions that dictated late 18th- and early 19th-century interiors. The console table reached the height of fashion during this period and was often considered more a part of the architecture than merely a piece of furniture. It was believed that no single element of the interior stood alone, with everything from upholstery to hardware serving to unify the room's design. A console table, then, was considered an integral part of the wall and the entire room.

Circa 1840

96" wide x 21 1/4" deep x 42 3/8" high