A George II Period Carved & Gilded Wood & Gesso Fragment c.1730
SOLD
Origin: English
Period: George II
Provenance: Unknown
Date: c.1730
Width: 45.5”
Depth: 6”
Height: 12” (all at extremities & with backing board)
The giltwood and gesso hand carved fragment, still of good imposing size, having been part of a larger composition, showing a heraldic eagle amongst foliage and a large flower head to a scaled sea serpent all above a helix twist frieze, having remnants of a pully or wench system to the reverse, possibly surviving from a barge or ship, the whole a beautiful patination to the original gilding, surviving from George II period England.
The fragment is sturdy and stable and the original gilding is naturally distressed all over. It would have been part of a much larger composition, and there is a stabilising block to the reverse so it can be wall hung. The integral pully integral to the eagle is interesting and would suggest it was used as part of a system for a ship or otherwise as part of a canopy of some sort. Please refer to the photographs for a full visual reference.
There are similar designs to this piece to The Royal Barge produced by shipwright John hall to a William Kent design in 1732. The prow, stern and rail were carved and gilded with the royal coat of arms and Prince of Wales feathers among riotous sea-creatures, swags and Vitruvian scrolls.
Well worth further research, this is a wonderfully decorative and rare piece of early Georgian splendour.
Period: George II
Provenance: Unknown
Date: c.1730
Width: 45.5”
Depth: 6”
Height: 12” (all at extremities & with backing board)
The giltwood and gesso hand carved fragment, still of good imposing size, having been part of a larger composition, showing a heraldic eagle amongst foliage and a large flower head to a scaled sea serpent all above a helix twist frieze, having remnants of a pully or wench system to the reverse, possibly surviving from a barge or ship, the whole a beautiful patination to the original gilding, surviving from George II period England.
The fragment is sturdy and stable and the original gilding is naturally distressed all over. It would have been part of a much larger composition, and there is a stabilising block to the reverse so it can be wall hung. The integral pully integral to the eagle is interesting and would suggest it was used as part of a system for a ship or otherwise as part of a canopy of some sort. Please refer to the photographs for a full visual reference.
There are similar designs to this piece to The Royal Barge produced by shipwright John hall to a William Kent design in 1732. The prow, stern and rail were carved and gilded with the royal coat of arms and Prince of Wales feathers among riotous sea-creatures, swags and Vitruvian scrolls.
Well worth further research, this is a wonderfully decorative and rare piece of early Georgian splendour.
