French 19th Century Napoleon III Period Two-Door Cabinet

A stunning and extremely high quality French 19th century Napoleon III period ebony, exotic wood, ormolu, brass and white Carrara marble cabinet. The cabinet is raised by handsome bl...

A stunning French 19th century Napoleon III period ebony, ormolu, marble and exotic wood cabinet. The cabinet is raised by elegant topie shaped feet with fine foliate ormolu bands. T...

A magnificent rectangular black 2-door cabinet in Napoleon III style. Large and small details are gilt, bringing antique and luxurious looks. Brass medallions are centrally mounted on each door and also adorn the upper facade of the cabinet. The inside of the cabinet is divided into three horizontal shelves. At the bottom of the cabinet, there is a figure of a woman's mask, decorated with floral motifs, notably acanthus leaves and it is completed on the side with a rich ornamentation of gilded bronzes caryatides. The borders running along the cabinet are all gilt and engraved with beautiful patterns. On the two cabinet doors, there are two big figures encased in an oval border, representing Apollo, the god of music, and Hermes, the messenger of the gods. Both are the son of Zeus, and they are also frequently present in mythological tales about the other. When Hermes was just a toddler, he once left his cradle to steal the cattle of his half-brother Apollo. Apollo soon discovered that his flock was missing and began to search the surrounding area. Of course, Apollo was the god of prophecy, so he soon found out about the thief and furiously went to Mount Cyllene to find Hermes in his cave. He grabbed the infant and took him to Mount Olympus, to be judged by their master Zeus, the king of the gods. In front of Zeus, Hermes initially denied everything, but in the end, he had to confess. Zeus found the story quite amusing, so he did not punish Hermes, but only required him to return the flock. Hermes regretted what he had done and offered Apollo his lyre as a gift. The lyre was a musical instrument that Hermes had created all by himself from the shell of a turtle. To repay Hermes for his kindness, Apollo returned the gesture by giving Hermes a golden staff...

This elegant cabinet exemplifies the refined aesthetic of the Napoleon III period, a time of great artistic and decorative flourishing in France. The cabinet showcases a striking com...