Description
This Mid-19th Century French Renaissance Revival oak cabinet showcases a sophisticated combination of two distinct varieties of solid oak, each sourced from different parts of the tree, resulting in unique tones and grain patterns.
Renaissance Revival furniture is renowned for its large, imposing structures and high-relief frieze carvings, both exemplified in this remarkable piece. The style blends Renaissance and neoclassical motifs, presenting a bold facet of design history.
Composed of two tiers with double doors, the cabinet reveals internal shelving accessible via intricately carved pull handles. Each door features rectangular carvings, flanked by detailed figurative elements.
Further embellishments include scrolling foliate frieze work and mythological creatures. The top carvings present a symmetrical frieze with cherubs riding a hippocampus—the mythical creature that pulled Neptune’s chariot—reflecting the influence of Greco-Roman art common in Renaissance and Baroque Europe.
In the upper section, a figure plays a Renaissance flute, encircled by oval scrollwork, punctuated by a cherub’s head and floral bosses. The bottom doors display a headpiece of armor and shield adorned with loose foliate scrollwork. The carved helmet, crowned with a bird, symbolizes French heraldry, representing nobility and lineage.
The right door features a fleur-de-lis and a deer head emerging from the headpiece, hinting at its French origin and connections to noble hunting traditions. The left door showcases a pheasant wearing a crown and a heraldic cross on the shield.
The cabinet rests on four squared legs, with design work concentrated on the front legs, which exhibit foliate scrollwork and a pedestal shape reminiscent of classical antiquity.
This captivating statement piece draws attention and adds dramatic flair, enlivening any space it inhabits.
Overall Dimensions: H=67.5 in., W=54 in., D=17 in., 250 lbs.
Top Shelves: Top Section H=17 in., W=24 in., D=12.5 in.; Lower Section H=13.5 in., W=24 in., D=12.5 in.
Bottom Shelves: Top Section H=14 in., W=24 in., D=12.5 in.; Lower Section H=11.5 in., W=24 in., D=12.5 in.
