A Rare Pair of 18th Century English Painted Jardinière Stands/Pedestals

Description

A Stunning and Rare Pair of 18th Century English Hand carved and Hand Painted Jardeniere or Vase Stands/Pedestals. These stands are crafted in hand-carved wood and painted in polychrome tones, retaining much of their original surface decoration. Each is composed of a circular top supported by three outwardly curving legs, connected midway with a stretcher for structural stability. The tops are framed with carved bands of beading and foliate designs, painted in alternating green, cream, and ochre pigments. Around the upper rim, carved masks are set at intervals, including both human faces and lion heads, each modeled in relief and accented with painted details. Beneath the tops, carved pendant foliage descends between the legs, reinforcing the decorative scheme. The legs are carved with beaded edges and terminate in paw-form feet that rest on a shaped triangular plinth base. The carved feet are worked with clear definition, painted to suggest natural fur, and firmly positioned to carry the weight of the structure. The stretcher is shaped to follow the arc of the legs, also detailed with a beaded border. The painted decoration throughout is consistent, with alternating bands of pale blue-green and cream along the length of the supports, showing signs of natural age and wear consistent with 18th-century English painted furniture. The carved masks that decorate the upper sections differ in form. Some depict classical male faces with flowing hair, while others are modeled as lions with open mouths. These figures are integrated into the structure of the rim and provide focal points at each of the three leg junctures. The relief carving is emphasized with painted accents in muted tones, further enhanced by the surrounding carved beading and foliate garlands. The underside of the tops is bowl-shaped, carved and painted, from which additional pendant foliage extends downward between the legs. The bases are triangular with slightly concave sides, providing balance to the upward sweep of the legs. Evidence of the construction is visible on the underside, showing the solid hand-carved wood with later wear and age cracks, confirming their 18th-century origin. These painted surfaces would have served to complement the carved ornamentation, making the pieces decorative as well as functional supports for jardinieres or other vessels. The pair demonstrates traditional Italian craftsmanship of the period, with emphasis on carved ornament integrated with painted decoration. The combination of figural masks, paw feet, pendant foliage, and beaded borders reflects a neoclassical influence in design. Such stands were typically produced in England during the 1700s as decorative supports, intended for display in grand interiors. Their survival as a pair with original paint surface intact is rare, underscoring both their durability and the quality of their materials and construction. England, Circa: 1780 22.5 x 14.5 (base) 22.5 x 9 (top)

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