Ceremonial Table, Marble Top, 17th Century Italy, Carved Base

Ceremonial table with a richly carved base made of fruit and softwood, stained black. The crosspiece and apron are decorated with plant motifs and scrolls. The carved apron is adorned with small marquetry panels in light wood with bird motifs and medallions with rosettes on the sides. The connecting pieces at the top and bottom of the balusters are decorated with floral marquetry and ironwork motifs. The top is in marble and hardstone marquetry, a popular concept in 17th-century Italy. Four types of stones in different colors, black, sienna yellow, carare white, breccia, are used here to compose this table with geometric patterns, these form an assembly of boxes with a perspective effect, enclosing a central octagonal element meeting all the criteria of traditional Italian decorative arts to adorn table tops. Some cracks and chips in the stones are part of the patina and the life of this reception table.