A pair of almost identical late Gustavian giltwood console tables, demi lune Carrara marble tops above acanthus leave carved apron, carried by griffins after the model by painter and interior designer Louis Masreliez and presumably made in the workshop of the royal sculptor Ernst Philip Thomans, standing on black painted bases. One marked 'No 1'. Stockholm, late 18th century. H. 82 cm. W. 71 cm. D. 35 cm. (2)
The griffin is known as a personal emblem of Duke Karl, who was the Duke of Södermanland where the griffin is part of the region's coat of arms. The painter and interior designer Louis Masreliez and cabinetmaker Pehr Ljung used the griffin in several contexts, for instance in the interior design and furniture surrounding the Duke. This can be seen in the guardroom and in the bedchamber of Rosersberg palace near Stockholm. The griffin eventually became a popular decorative element in most interior decor during the late Gustavian and Empire period in Sweden.
Condition report on request. furniture@bruun-rasmussen.dk
Varia, funiture & carpets, 31 May 2017