19th Century Louis XV Napoleon III Console in Carved and Gilt Wood and Marble, France

Wonderful console made of carved and gilded wood with marble top. It was made in the Napoleon III era, but follows the splendid Louis XV style. The wood has been gilded with fine water gold burnished with agate stone. The white marble top has a soft gray vein and has a dove chest bezel. The Louis XV-style consoles are placed against a wall, with three sides visible. The structure is light and curved, it has a drawer with a lock, four cabriole legs and a chambray with spectacular decoration, where a sun-shaped rockery stands out. However, the most striking part of the decorative repertoire are the four faun figures found at the beginning of the legs. They are treated as a true work of sculpture; The features of the face are carefully detailed and the representation develops downwards, in the form of garlands.

The Louis XV style is an artistic style, especially present in the decorative arts, that developed during the reign of Louis XV (1715-1774). Initially the name “Louis XV style” referred to a characteristic type of chairs, but it soon spread to all the arts of the time. This style was the creation of cabinetmakers as a result of a major technical advance in the manufacture of wooden furniture. It is identified with the architectural style called Rococo. Like Rococo, it has profuse decoration and detail, in contrast to the later “Louis XVI Style”, with a simpler trend.

Style: Louis XV
Materials: carved and gilded wood
Period: Napoleon III era (1852-1870)
Country of origin: France
Good condition according to its age and use
Dimensions: 90 x 131 x 60 cm.