Attributed To Thomas Hope - Pair Of Mahogany Pedestal - 19th Century

Pair of pedestal attributed to Thomas Hope (1769-1831).
Mahogany, painted wood trompe l’œil base imitating portor and marble top.
England, first quarter of the 19th century for one and late 19th century for the other.

Inspired by the work of Thomas Hope, these pedestals present a decoration close to a table whose design was imagined by the English artist.
Indeed, the clawed legs and the fluted scroll wrapping around a flower as well as the palmettes motifs in bas-relief present a very similar style.
The common source of inspiration for both pieces of furniture is an antique porphyry bathtub that was in the Pantheon in Rome before it was incorporated into the tomb of Pope Clement XII in the Basilica of St. John Lateran. This porphyry bathtub has these same claw feet topped with a strong fluted scroll. They were known by Thomas Hope through the engravings of Charles Hearthcote Tatham and his book "Etchings... of ancient ornamental architecture".

Bibliography: Thomas Hope Regency Designer, ed. David Watkin & Philip Hewat-Jaboor.
Household furniture, Thomas Hope, 1807.