Carlton Hobbs 8027

August 18 2009, 12:35pm

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