Pair Of Venetian Gueridons In Carved Walnut, Venice, 1720–1730

Venice, ca. 1720–1730

Pair of gueridons

(2) Carved walnut – h 85 × 41 × 26 cm

An elegant pair of Venetian gueridons in walnut, dating to the second to fourth quarter of the 18th century, around 1720–1730, characterized by refined carving and a structure of particular sculptural elegance.

The two side tables feature a mixtilinear top with strongly rounded corners and a contoured profile, connected to an underside band that is also dynamically shaped and molded. The band is embellished in the center with a carved motif of palmettes and plant scrolls, an ornamental element typical of 18th-century Venetian furniture.

The base consists of a single central leg with a sinuous profile, richly modeled at the top and featuring relief plant ornamentation. The shaft, tapering downward, connects to an elegant tripartite structure from which three curved, arched legs extend, ending in scroll-shaped feet.

The piece as a whole showcases a masterful balance between architectural structure and the sculptural quality of the carving, reflecting a particularly refined approach to furniture design characteristic of 18th-century Venice.

The warm golden-brown hue of the walnut, enhanced by the polish, gives the two pieces a striking decorative presence while maintaining modest proportions and a sense of visual lightness.

The fact that they were made as a pair also makes them particularly interesting to collectors, as it allows for the reconstruction of the furniture’s original symmetrical decorative function.

The pair belongs to the Venetian furniture production of the early 18th century, during a stylistic phase that can be defined as Venetian Barocchetto, featuring the earliest manifestations of the Rococo style.

Compared to the more austere Baroque style of the 17th century, Venetian furniture from the early decades of the 18th century sought greater fluidity of lines, lightness of form, and continuity between structure and decoration. The surfaces become undulating and sinuous, while the carving takes on a predominantly ornamental character, featuring volutes, plant motifs, palmettes, and shell-like forms.

The structure of the gueridons presented here—with a undulating top, a shaped band, a central support, and three arched legs ending in curls—fully embodies this stylistic language. Comparisons with 18th-century Venetian examples show that this type of piece was widespread specifically within the context of Louis XV-Venetian Baroque furniture.

The term “gueridon” refers to a small serving or side table, generally compact in size and often characterized by a single central support with multiple legs.

This style developed particularly during the 17th and 18th centuries, when these small tables became important elements of the furnishings in reception rooms and private apartments.

Their function was extremely versatile: they could be used to display works of art, vases, candlesticks, lamps, floral arrangements, and other decorative elements, or as small serving tables next to chairs and larger pieces of furniture.

In 18th-century Venice, the gueridon also took on a strong decorative significance: it was no longer merely a functional piece but became a true sculptural piece of furniture, in which the quality of the carving and the elegance of the silhouette took on an importance equal to that of the tabletop.

The presence of a pair also suggests a symmetrical arrangement, such as on either side of a door, a console table, a fireplace, or next to a piece of furniture.

Thanks to their compact dimensions—85 cm tall and measuring just 41 × 26 cm—the two gueridons are particularly versatile even in contemporary interiors.

They can be used individually as side tables or accent tables, or kept as a pair to create a symmetrical arrangement in a living room, study, or reception area.

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