Antique English Painted Oak Console with Marble Top, circa 1850

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Antique English Painted Oak Console with Marble Top, circa 1850

About the Item

Receive our new selections direct from 1stdibs by email each week. Please click Follow Dealer below and see them first! An English painted oak William Kent style console table with a black marble top, circa 1850. This beautiful console table showcases the imaginative design of the 18th designer William Kent (1685-1748). Known for his innovative approach to architecture and interiors he was responsible for some of the most appealing designs of the Georgian period. As seen in this table he was very aware of the movement of light across a surface and how the change in profile affected the visual impact of a design. The compelling aspect of this console table lies in the combination of the front legs and the serpentine shaped front balanced against the back legs each in the shape of a simple pilaster. The frieze beneath the marble top has an undulating profile that moves forward and backward as it moves side to side and this continues across the entire front and along each side. Placed directly in the centre of the frieze is a medallion in the shape of a shield surrounded on all sides by scrolled flourishes. Please notice how the three dimensional quality of the carving gives the medallion a sculptural presence against the flat surface of the frieze especially when strong light casts a shadow across the front of the console. The medallion also indicates the location of the drawer that is concealed within the frieze. Because there is no visible hardware to pull the drawer open the frieze appears to just be a solid expanse. But by reaching beneath the front edge of the frieze and pulling forward the drawer is easily opened and closed. The front corners of the console have a cylindrical shape and are supported by a dramatic leg consisting of two opposing scrolls. The sensuous outline of these scrolls and the energy created by their movement in differing directions creates a delightful tension. The focal point of each leg is the carved fruit hanging from a stem that lays in full ripeness again expressed in a boldly sculptural form. The roundness of the fruit echoes and reinforces the turn of the curved scrolls seen at the top and base of the front legs as well as the movement of the frieze. The original marble top also follows the serpentine outline of the console and the change in material against the timber also heightens the appearance of the console. The back legs show William Kent's awareness of the classical orders of architecture and how using them on a piece of furniture gave it solidity and stature. When this console table is viewed from the front the placement of the back legs in proportion to the front becomes immediately apparent. The back legs are placed closer to the centre line and provide a visual sense of weight and balance while the front legs are used to burst forth giving a sense of vitality and lushness. The oak timber has been stripped of its dark finish and lightened in order to highlight the carved and curved surface. This treatment of the oak actually gives the console table a modern appearance and enables it to be used in a much wider variety of interiors than in its more traditional incarnation. As the console is finished on all three sides it was obviously designed to be seen from the front as well as the sides and this quality also increases its desirability as a choice object.

Dimensions:
Height: 36 in (91.44 cm)Width: 50 in (127 cm)Depth: 21 in (53.34 cm)
Style:
Charles II (In the Style Of)
Materials and Techniques:
Marble,Oak,Painted
Place of Origin:
England
Period:
1850-1859
Date of Manufacture:
circa 1850
Condition:
Wear consistent with age and use.
Seller Location:
Houston, TX
Reference Number:
Seller: EEJ641stDibs: LU86685587753