19th Century Gilt Carved Center Table Egypt Style Ismail Pasha Gezireh Palace

$105,274.02List Price

About the Item

This fascinating 19th century table, created in the style of ancient Egypt, is an outstanding example of the Egyptomania of the time. Made between 1867 and 1870, the table impresses with its elaborately carved, gilded and polychrome-painted surface. The table top is made of original black Belgian marble, which gives the piece a noble appearance. This table was a central component of the exhibition Egyptomania: Egypt in European Art 1730-1930, a groundbreaking show that was shown in 1994 at the Musée du Louvre in Paris, the National Gallery of Canada in Ottawa and the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna. The exhibition illuminated the profound fascination that Ancient Egypt exerted on European art, architecture and design from the 18th to the early 20th century. A piece of history The table was originally commissioned for Khedive Ismail Pasha for his Gezireh Palace in Cairo to mark the opening of the Suez Canal. This event marked a high point in Egyptian cultural history and was complemented by the commissioning of Giuseppe Verdi to compose the opera ‘Aida’. However, due to the delay in the completion of the opera, the table was forgotten for years before it was rediscovered. After an eventful history, the table finally ended up in the Villa Draneht Pasha on Lake Maggiore in Italy. This villa belonged to the family of the doctor and diplomat Paul Draneht, who served under several Ottoman-Egyptian viceroys. Draneht was particularly influential under Khedive Ismail, as he was instrumental in financing the Suez Canal. Cultural significance and provenance The piece of furniture is an outstanding testimony to the combination of Egyptian and European culture in the 19th century. It has been presented at important exhibitions and is documented in detail in: J.M. Humbert et al, Egyptomania, Paris 1994, cat. 305, pp. 459-460 Catalogue of the Sotheby's auction The Peter Zervudachi Sale of 1998 Adam Mestyan, Arab Patriotism, The Ideology and Culture of Power in late Ottoman Egypt, Princeton University Press, 2017, pp. 97-101 The table has been shown in several prestigious exhibitions, including as a central exhibit for the European enthusiasm for Ancient Egypt in the 19th century. These exhibition contexts emphasise its art-historical and cultural significance. With its ornate design in the style of Ancient Egypt, this table epitomised the essence of Egyptomania: a cultural movement that came to the fore following Napoleon's discovery of Egyptian antiquities. The table impressed with its rich symbolism, such as the winged sun disc and stylised hieroglyphic motifs, and was celebrated as a prime example of the fusion of European craftsmanship and ancient Egyptian aesthetics.

Dimensions:
Height: 33.08 in (84 cm)Width: 69.3 in (176 cm)Depth: 41.34 in (105 cm)
Style:
Egyptian (Of the Period)
Materials and Techniques:
Belgian Black Marble,Giltwood,Gold,Wood
Place of Origin:
France
Period:
1860-1869
Date of Manufacture:
1867-1870
Condition:
Repaired: very small restorations. Wear consistent with age and use. very small restorations,.
Seller Location:
Epfach, DE
Reference Number:
1stDibs: LU5243220348632

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