RARE TUSCAN NEOCLASSICAL CONSOLE TABLE IN LACQUERED AND MECCA GILDED WOOD, LATE 18TH CENTURY

RARE TUSCAN NEOCLASSICAL CONSOLE TABLE IN LACQUERED AND MECCA GILDED WOOD, LATE 18TH CENTURY Measurements: W 110 × D 57 × H 88.5 cm Price: by private negotiation Item accompanied by our certificate of authenticity This rare Tuscan neoclassical console table, created in the late 18th century, stands out for its unique relief decoration that makes it a singular piece. The slender and elegant structure rests on four tapered legs lacquered in dark tones of green and burnt umber, with finely mecca-gilded profiles and mecca-gilded pastiglia relief ornamentation featuring floral motifs. The broad apron, the true artistic focal point of the piece, displays a frieze decorated on three sides with high-quality pastiglia reliefs. These depict, in polychromy and mecca gilding, a lively drolerie, i.e., a narrative sequence populated by small figures, animals (including a horse and birds), woodland scenes, and fantastical subjects, animated by an ironic, learned, and rare taste. The motifs unfold like a miniature theater of great collector's value. An element of exceptional originality is the presence of a gecko ( or wall lizard) emerging from the golden reserve of the frieze, deliberately breaking the symmetry and giving the piece a playful character. This detail, along with the high quality of the modeling, testifies to the artist's personal creativity, making the console table a unique, non-serial piece. Among the depicted scenes, cherubs engaged in childhood games can be recognized: on a swing, during picnics, playing with birds, or gathering fruits from trees. The rectangular top, with a molded profile, is lacquered to resemble "marine serpentine" marble, with flowing veining executed with refined pictorial skill, perfectly consistent with the overall color palette. The tones, harmonized between deep greens and warm burnt umber shades, enhance the gilded reliefs and lend the work an elegance that is both austere and lively. A piece of great charm and rarity due to its iconography and pastiglia decoration, this console table represents a perfect focal point for an entryway, a drawing-room, or a contemporary space that wishes to introduce a highly decorative yet light and sophisticated historical accent. "Mecca" gilding is a type of gilding applied over silver leaf to give it the appearance and richness of gold leaf. Mecca is a varnish with an ancient recipe, jealously guarded in workshops. It involves the use of gum sandarac and gamboge in alcohol, dragon's blood, and other ingredients which, blended together, contribute to the various chromatic elements of the mecca.