Renaissance Armoirette Frontage

ORIGINE: FRANCE
EPOQUE : 16th CENTURY

Measures: height : 90 cm
length : 65 cm
depth : 10 cm

Walnut

The armoirette is used to store valuables, small precious items.

The lower part is flanked by two lion faces framing a Greek key design (a meander or meandros). In the center, a door leaf is framed by to male mascarons displaying a sumptuous collar and a horn-like hairstyle. There three-tiered sheaths of falling fruits on each side. At the top is a semi-circular tympanum. All is richly carved with motifs dear to the renaissance era : palm leaves, greek designs, birds quills, enrolled ribbons, acanthus foliage.

The door leaf is carved in bas-relief with a triophy of arms with motifs clearly oriented along the two diagonals. It is surrounded by two moulded frames ; one with a ribbon frieze and the other with a palmette frieze. The detail of this trophy includes the portrait of a man with a helmet topped with long bird quills positioned on a seet of three arrows, a standard, and a hatchet. A badelaire (a broad and curved sabre-like battle sword) is on the same diagonal, contrasting the two shields with scalloped edges.

The broken circular pediment is supported by two broken architrave elements, each of which is supported by two brackets decorated with bird quills. A laureate female portrait with long hair arise in the broken pediment, two drapery lows over her ears which covers her bust.

The portrait is carried on a curved support decorated with acanthus leaves along with two scrolls.