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GUERIDON , a small table to hold a lamp orSee also: vase, supported by a tall See also: column or a human or mythological figure
.
This piece of furniture, often very graceful and elegant, originated in See also: France towards the See also: middle of the 17th century
.
In the beginning the table was supported by a See also: negro or other exotic figure, and there is some reason to believe that it took its name from the generic appellation of the See also: young See also: African See also: groom or " See also: tiger," who was generally called " Gueridon," or as we should say in See also: English " Sambo." The swarthy figure and brilliant See also: costume of the " See also: Moor " when reproduced in See also: wood and picked out in See also: colours produced a very striking effect, and when a small table was supported on the See also: head by the upraised hands the idea of passive service was suggested with completeness
.
The gueridon is still occasionally seen in something approaching its See also: original See also: form; but it had no sooner been introduced than the See also: artistic See also: instinct of the French designer and artificer converted it into a far worthier See also: object
.
By the See also: death of See also: Louis XIV. there were several hundreds of them at
See also: Versailles, and within a generation or two they had taken an infinity of forms—columns, tripods, termini and mythological figures
.
Some of the simpler and more artistic forms were of wood carved with See also: familiar decorative motives and gilded
.
See also: Silver, enamel, and indeed almost any material from which furniture can be made, have been used for their construction
.
A variety of small " occasional " tables are now called in French gueridons
.
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[back] OTTO VON GUERICKE (1602-1686) |
[next] GEORGES MAURICE DE GUERIN DU CAYLA (18x0-1839) |
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