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Description
A formal Dutch Baroque library table with an inlaid top of burl walnut, satinwood and ebony stringing, colored bone neoclassical figures 1, massive barley twist legs joined by radiating stretchers on later bun feet; a lovely piece that straddles the end of the Baroque period and the dawn of the Neoclassical period with elements of both. Netherlands circa 1790.
Width: 56 in. (142 cm)
Depth: 30.5 in. (77 cm)
Height: 31 in. (79 cm)
Further readings and sources:
- Allegorical Figures and Their Corollaries
- The central medallion prominently features Lady Justice, symbolizing fairness and moral integrity, with her scales of justice finely detailed in bone inlay. Roman: Iustitia Greek: Themis (or Dike)
The four corners of the table are adorned with additional neoclassical figures:
- A female figure holding a torch, representing enlightenment and knowledge, likely corresponding to the Greek goddess Hestia or the Roman goddess Ceres.
- A male figure holding a flag, symbolizing authority and governance, reminiscent of the Greek god Ares or the Roman god Mars.
- A female figure with foliage, possibly denoting prosperity or abundance, akin to the Greek goddess Demeter or the Roman goddess Abundantia.
- A female figure with a lyre, embodying the arts and cultural refinement, similar to the Greek god Apollo or the Muses Terpsichore and Euterpe.
