Italian Marble Angel Head on Porphyry Socle
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An Italian white marble head of a young angel, probably Venice, late 15th century, with curled hair and an open smiling mouth, on an ebonised turned wood and porphyry socle, overall height 30 cm
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- Socle - The short plinth, usually cylindrical, that serves as a pedestal for a sculpture or vase
- Porphyry - In geology, porphyry is a type of igneous rock with a distinctive texture. It has large, visible crystals (called phenocrysts) embedded in a fine-grained groundmass. In the ancient world, porphyry was a highly prized material used for sculptures, sarcophagi, and other decorative objects. Porphyry wasn't widely used in furniture throughout the 19th century, but was used as a luxury and prestigious material.
Due to its high cost and difficulty in working with, porphyry was primarily used for smaller accent pieces or decorative elements on furniture. This could include tabletops, inlays, veneers, or ornamental details on legs or columns. It was also used for furniture pieces commissioned for royalty, wealthy patrons, or important public buildings. For example, some European palaces feature furniture with porphyry elements.
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