Carlton Hobbs 9784

August 19 2009, 10:13am

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