Pair Of Polychrome And Gilded Wooden Statues – Louis XIV Period, Circa 1700

A pair of carved, polychrome, and gilded wooden statues depicting two figures arranged as a pair. Standing, with one hand behind their head and the other resting on their hip, they are dressed in buttoned costumes adorned with floral motifs. A red drape with gold motifs accompanies each figure.

These statues are part of the context of European decorative arts from the late 17th and early 18th centuries, a period during which depictions of figures from distant lands became a common feature in the interiors of aristocratic residences.
During the reign of Louis XIV, the growth of trade with Africa, Asia, and the Americas contributed to the emergence of a decorative repertoire dedicated to depicting foreign lands. These figures were notably used in furniture and decorative sculpture, in the form of pages, servants, or porters.
The two figures were designed as a pair, their poses mirroring one another. The decoration combines carved wood, polychrome painting, gilding, floral motifs, and drapery.
Each statue rests on a fluted wooden column with a molded base. The square pedestals used for display are of contemporary manufacture.

Louis XIV period, circa 1700