Large lectern with an eagle in gilded wood, 18th century

Important eagle lectern in natural wood and gilded wood of rare size and scope.

The golden eagle with sharp eyes and outstretched wings rests on a large hand-carved sphere supported by golden leaves. Between its claws the biblical serpent, symbol of evil and of a gilding slightly paler than the eagle for the discerning eye, is vanquished.

The particularly imposing, worked and openwork base is sculpted with large acanthus leaves on the shaft and on the roll-up base. Garlands of flowers join together and give way below to a large central pinecone surrounded by three bunches of grapes. The elegantly winding base decorated with flowers ends in eagle claw feet holding a sphere. All in an alternation of shades of natural wood and a particularly well preserved yellow gilt, no doubt thanks to the grease deposits resulting from the burning of the candles during the services that have covered the lectern until now.

The eagle is the animal symbol of Saint John the Evangelist (called Eagle of Patmos, from the name of the Greek island where, under house arrest, he wrote his epistles and the book of the Apocalypse). Our eagle is reminiscent of the Imperial Eagle, later, symbol of the reign of Napoleon.

According to the local story, this unusual and very large lectern was part of the furniture of one of the mansions that belonged to the Prince de Condé, cousin of Louis XIV, in the Oise region.

Eighteenth century period.