A gilt bronze-mounted mahogany jardinière emblematic of the arts

A Louis XVI mahogany, white marble and gilt bronze jardinière – circa 1790

Height: 45 cm. (17 ¾ in.)     Width: 87 cm. (34 ¼ in.)     Depth: 34 cm. (13 ½ in.)

Originally this jardinière was an organ-playing music box and supported a clock.

It is surmounted by a gilt bronze balustrade punctuated by bow and arrow and rose wreath reliefs. The body’s gilt bronze panels depict in the centre a flower basket supported by drapery and foliage linking pinecones and rosettes. On the right are the trophies of Theatre, and on the left of Music, whilst the rounded sides present on the right the trophies of Painting and on the left of Gardening. Eight female caryatids draped on terms of white marble, their feet resting on pedestals, alternate with the trophies. The mahogany plinth is mounted with a frieze of palmette and lotus and stands on six turned feet.

Provenance

Sotheby’s Monaco, 3 March 1990, lot 181