Florentine ceremonial table, early 16th century in Tuscany.

Florentine ceremonial table, Tuscany, early 16th century, hexagonal shape, with tripod base in richly carved walnut. The tripod base features an elaborate decoration in the round of sphinxes; busts of winged women extending into hocks with feet fitted with sharp claws. Each side of the base is decorated with a specific bas-relief depicting the struggle between good and evil, with angels slaying dragons. Four of them depict different dragons with outstretched wings, howling, oversized necks and terrifying scaly tails. The next depicts the angel striking down the evil creature, while the last shows a bird symbolizing the purity of goodness and righteousness. Each of the elements forming the base is embraced by a central, tapered shaft punctuated by a six-faceted drop. The entire base is surmounted by three flat, corbel-shaped crosspieces, joined by a poly-lobed piece of ironwork; this assembly accommodates the table's hexagonal, sharp-edged mobile top.
Dimensions: height 74.8cm width 125.8cm.
Observations : This extremely rare high of period table is typical Cosimo de Medici, Duke of Tuscany period, preserved the iconographic and technical precepts of the Middle Ages while mastering the decorative art of the Italian Renaissance. Indeed, the iconography of good and evil still prevalent at the end of the Middle Ages, combined with the technicality of the movable table, such as the movable top, are still present; but here associated with the rules of flamboyant Renaissance decorum. These were the rules of decorum in Florentine high society at the beginning of the 16th century, which was concerned with maintaining its rank. It should be noted that the moving board, which has suffered from the ravages of time, has been restored.