Term of the Day: Festoon 8/18/09

One of a pair of massive faience jardinieres. The painted decoration on this jardiniere includes a floral festoon which hangs loosely between the two classical masks on the jardiniere's sides. Festoons of flowers, fruit and leaves, along with their counterparts, swags (which typically represent draped fabric rather than foliage), were common decorative motifs in ancient Greece and Rome, and were based on the garlands that would be hung for celebrations. They feature prominently in neoclassical furniture.

To learn more about this jardiniere, visit: bit.ly/CH-9784

Term of the Day: Festoon 8/18/09

One of a pair of console tables in the manner of William Kent, with veneered legno silicizzato tops. The carved decoration of this side table includes giltwood festoons of fruit and foliage, which are draped on either side of the classical mask that centers the front of the table. Festoons, along with their counterparts, swags (which typically represent draped fabric rather than foliage), were common decorative motifs in ancient Greece and Rome, and were based on the garlands that would be hung for celebrations. They feature prominently in neoclassical furniture.

To see more of this side table, visit: bit.ly/CH-8027

Of ebonised wood with gilt bronze mounts. The rectangular top inset with a leather panel and encased with a gilt bronze moulded edge, the panelled frieze fitted with three drawers to the front, each edged with gilt bronze moulding and centred by a cartouche key-escutcheon and foliate drop handle, the frieze fully dummied to the reverse. The whole raised on four circular, tapering and fluted legs, each leg headed by an acanthine capital, the flutes with bronze festoon mounts, each leg terminating in acanthine decoration and a toupie foot.