Item 9390 Renaissance Octagonal Table Dimensions Width 31¼, Height 29¼, Depth 31¼ (in inches) Wood Solid walnut Country France Date Circa 1880 Description The table is made of solid walnut and, although relatively small, is massive in the impression it conveys from  the sturdy, architectural nature of its construction.  An octagonal top on a hexagonal base, the design reflects a delight in architectural elements, including squared columns which are heavily carved and crowned by gracefully curving capitals.  Most likely from the 19th century and the northern regions of France, the table harks back to the fondness for bas relief detail depicted in pictures by two of our favorite Renaissance painters:  Crivelli and Perugino.  Such decoration was revived in the 17th century in books of engravings serving as models for craftsmen of furniture and interior design. In contrast, the frieze between the column capitals and the top is unadorned except for the classic "sand pile" motif of raised, rectangular shapes.  The innermost area, open between the columns, is ideal for display purposes, for example, a 19th century Gien vase in the Renaissance styling known as fond blanc. Reference Boussel, Patrice, Les Styles du Moyen Age à Louis XIV  (Baschet et Cie, Paris, 1979); Lightbown, Ronald, Carlo Crivelli (Yale University Press, New Haven, 2004); Becherer, Joseph Antenucci, Pietro Perugino, (Grand Rapids Art Museum, 1997); Un Temps d'Exubérance, Les Arts Décoratifs sous Louis XIII et Anne d'Autriche, Paris, Galeries Nationales du Grand Palais (Réunion des Musées Nationaux, 2002) Uses Whether as an end table or occasional table, this piece is ideal for a formal living room, or, supporting a floral arrangement, as the focus of a large entryway.