Wood and mahogany veneer console table - Lot 92

Wood and mahogany veneer console table Grey marble top resting on sheathed front uprights surmounted by Egyptian heads and terminating in feet, the rectangular-section rear uprights joined by a rectangular strut resting on lions' paws. Consulate period. 88 x 128 x 42 cm Condition report available on request: contact@neo-encheres.com NOTICE During the Consulate period, consoles took pride of place in elegant interiors, reflecting the evolution towards the Empire style that would mark the early 19th century. These pieces of furniture, usually leaning against a wall and often designed to hold a mirror or decorative objects, are distinguished by their architectural sobriety and Antique-inspired ornamentation. Consulate consoles are typically characterized by straight, rigid lines, in contrast to the curved forms of the Louis XVI period. The use of precious woods such as mahogany, often enhanced by finely chased gilded bronzes, is characteristic of this period. Decorative motifs borrowed from mythology and Roman antiquity, such as griffins, sphinxes, palmettes and lions' heads, underline the neoclassical influence of the period. Cabinetmakers such as Jacob-Desmalter, heir to Georges Jacob, were renowned for their majestic consoles, designed for the residences of the Empire's elite and new dignitaries. Alongside him, craftsmen such as François-Honoré-Georges Jacob and Pierre-Benoît Marcion also made their mark, producing elegant pieces for Napoleon Bonaparte and his entourage. Consulate-era consoles, with their straight or columnar legs, adorned with details inspired by Antiquity and sometimes topped with marble, bear witness to the emerging imperial taste, combining grandeur and austerity, and remain emblematic symbols of the transition to the Empire style.