Polychrome Blackamoor Gondolier Sculpture with Porphyry Pedestal
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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
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- Polychrome - Made or finished in many colours. For furniture, it is used to indicated a painted finish.
- 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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