Offered by Franck Baptiste Provence
Beautiful and rare hunt table in finely carved and gilded wood.
Model with four legs ending in deer hooves, with uprights decorated with bouquets of flowers and acanthus leaves.
The front crosspiece made up of acanthus staples is slightly scalloped.
It is centered on a rockery reserve framed by oak branches.
The latter represents a hunting scene featuring a pack of three dogs struggling with a wolf.
The crosspieces on the sides are embellished with deployed acanthus.
Important marble top of "vivacious rosé from the Pyrenees" origin. (restorations)
Transport label, with a departure from the station of "Cette" (Sète).
Beautiful state of conservation; great quality of carving.
Languedocian work, Pézenas region, early Louis XV period around 1740.
Dimensions:
Width: 148cm; Height: 85cm; Depth: 70cm
Our opinion :
The table we present is a so-called "hunting return" table.
Very robust and covered with a thick marble top, it made it possible to present game in the hall or the large living room of the residences of the nobility who alone had the right to practice this activity.
The wolf hunt present in the center of the crossbar confirms the function of our table.
Our sculptor was not inspired by the engravings of Antonio Tempesta (1555-1630) as on the famous ceremonial dishes of the Moustiers factory which will also be very successful, but rather by the works of contemporary painters like Alexandre -François Desportes (1661-1743) and Jean Baptiste Oudry (1708-1755).
The delicacy, the balance and the vivacity of the scene show us all the talent of our sculptor who represented with meticulousness and naturalism the fierce fight that the wild animal leads for its survival.
Despite the assault of three dogs with sharp fangs, the outcome remains uncertain as the wild beast is still vigorous, even putting a dog in a bad position.
If the design of a console in gilded wood is often the fruit of a carpenter then a gilder, in accordance with the corporate rules then in force under the old regime, it seems highly probable that for our model, the workshop has calls on a great sculptor, who has also embellished several other tables with his marvelous hunting scenes.
Indeed a handful of hunting tables of the same design, with finely openwork scenes, are kept by old Hérault families and come from castles or mansions located on the Pézénas-Ganges-Lunel arc.
The presence of a transport label from the beginning of the 20th century mentioning the station of "Cette" confirms the connection.
This type of table is found in the same geographical area as the so-called Sumène wardrobe, which was found in large numbers in the residences of Pézenas.
It seems probable to us that this city housed an important sculpture workshop which is at the origin of this type of cabinet and perhaps of our console model.
Pèzenas, which is the seat of a famous fair, will experience considerable growth in the 18th century, it is at the crossroads of three regions, Languedoc to the west, the Cévennes to the north and Provence to the east, it produces wine, oyster products, textiles which are exported from the port of Séte while other products from Spain and Italy are unloaded near the city.
