Royal Petrified Wood and Gilt Bronze Gueridon

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Royal Petrified Wood and Gilt Bronze Gueridon

About the Item

A phenomenal museum-quality masterwork gifted by France’s King Louis XV to a titled European family, this guéridon table features an immensely rare petrified wood surface set into a resplendent Rococo gilt bronze base. The guéridon’s creation is credited to Jacques Caffieri (1678-1755), the most important bronzier in France who was officially made the “fondeur, sculpteur et ciseleur des bâtiments du roi” (“bronze founder, sculptor and chiseler of the King’s buildings”) in 1736. The majority of his pieces, such as this table, were created for the royal family for Versailles, Fontainebleau and other royal residences, but also for numerous wealthy private patrons. It is not surprising that Caffieri was chosen for the making of this guéridon, when taking into consideration the extremely exceptional nature of the petrified wood top. Science, particularly botany, was a favourite pastime of Louis XV, and this majestic table is seen as the embodiment of that passion. The fossilized surface is one of the rarest incorporated into a piece of furniture. A true natural wonder, the petrified wood is meticulously inlaid into a dynamic geometric pattern, which would have been drastically more difficult and costly to execute as compared to harvesting the wood from a single specimen. The process of wood fossilization takes millions of years, and only under the most specific of environmental conditions. Samples are found near ancient river and flood plain areas where wood was buried under soil deposits. These deposits were left absent of all oxygen and exposed to percolating water. Minerals from the water were deposited into the porous wood, replacing the organic elements with stone in a process called permineralization. Fossilized wood specimens are very scarce. The process is so precise that, even today, scientists have been unsuccessful in recreating the occurrence in a lab, making it mystery of the natural world. The grandiose base is exemplary of the Rococo aesthetic. Finely cast and chiselled with the utmost care and consideration, the organic swirls and curves intertwine in a delicate dance of sorts to create a central column that terminates in intricate C-scroll tripod base. Adding to the magnificence of the workmanship is the retention of most of the original gold gilding that gives this guéridon a polished, regal air fit for a king. To bring the rarity of this guéridon into perspective, there are only two other known 18th-century tables that are topped with petrified wood. The first can be found at Versailles and was given in 1770 to Queen Marie Antoinette by her sister Maria Christina. The second specimen resides in the Palazzo dei Normanni in Palermo, Sicily. The scarcity and tremendous care needed to manipulate fossilized wood paired with the radiance of Caffieri’s bronze results in a tour de force that holds a significant place in the history of decorative art, circa 1740. Measures: Top: 18 1/2" diameter Guéridon: 28 7/8” high.

Dimensions:
Height: 28.88 in (73.36 cm)Diameter: 18.5 in (46.99 cm)
Style:
Rococo (In the Style Of)
Materials and Techniques:
Bronze,Wood,Gilt
Place of Origin:
France
Period:
18th Century
Date of Manufacture:
circa 1740
Condition:
Seller Location:
New Orleans, LA
Reference Number:
Seller: 30-71571stDibs: LU891110927133