Polychrome Blackamoor Gondolier Sculpture with Porphyry Pedestal
click the photo to enlarge
Venetian polychrome and parcel-gilt blackamoor, 19th century, modelled as a gondolier holding a remo in his left hand and standing on a section of a gondola, raised on simulated porphyry pedestal carved with a drapery, restored, height 190 cm
You must be a subscriber, and be logged in to view price and dealer details.
Subscribe Now to view actual auction price for this item
When you subscribe, you have the option of setting the currency in which to display prices to $Au, $US, $NZ or Stg.
This item has been sold, and the description, image and price are for reference purposes only.
- 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. - Polychrome - Made or finished in many colours. For furniture, it is used to indicated a painted finish.
This item has been included into following indexes: