Pair of Octagonal Pedestals

Attributed to André-Charles Boulle (French, 1642–1732)

Dateafter 1686−1715, with possible late 18th century modifications

MediumFir veneered with turtle shell, brass, ebony, and ebonized fruitwood; gilt bronze

Dimensions45 × 22 1/2 × 22 1/2 in. (114.3 × 57.2 × 57.2 cm)

Credit LineHenry Clay Frick Bequest

Accession number1916.5.06

Commentary

Often created in pairs, octagonal pedestals of this size were made to support large pieces of sculpture or Chinese porcelain. They were intended to stand away from the wall and be seen in the round. The eight-sided model derives from a pair of pedestals made in 1686 by André-Charles Boulle, the celebrated cabinetmaker to Louis XIV, for the king’s oldest son, the Grand Dauphin. These are now kept at the Chaalis Abbey, north of Paris. It is not known who commissioned this pair, but they were probably made by Boulle before 1715, when he turned his workshop over to his sons. The base, cornice, and top were likely altered later in the century to suit the taste of their new owner.

Source: Vignon, Charlotte. The Frick Collection Decorative Arts Handbook. New York: The Frick Collection/Scala, 2015.

Collection History

Duveen. Frick, 1916.

Source: Furniture in The Frick Collection: Italian and French Renaissance, French 18th and 19th Centuries (Pt. I). Volume V. New York: The Frick Collection, 1992.

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