Italian Painted & Gilt Tôle Peinte Umbrella Stand or Waste Bin With Harbor Scene

Details

Description

A finely hand-painted and gilt trapezoidal tôle peinte umbrella stand or refuse bin, likely Italian, dating to the 19th century. … Read more A finely hand-painted and gilt trapezoidal tôle peinte umbrella stand or refuse bin, likely Italian, dating to the 19th century. The central panel is adorned with an elaborate coastal harbor scene rendered in oil on a gilt field, showing figures in colorful period attire along a rocky shore beside moored sailboats, with a distant domed pavilion and fortified castle in the background. A winding tree with windswept branches anchors the composition, which evokes the capriccio or veduta tradition popularized in the 18th and 19th centuries.

Each side of the vessel is decorated in complementary Neoclassical motifs, including laurel wreaths, anthemion finials, and an allegorical grouping of trophies—an ewer and musical instruments—symbolizing the decorative arts. The trapezoidal body flares upward from a square plinth with a Greek-key gilt border and is fitted with applied brass ring handles to each side. The decorative painting is bordered with a stippled and foliate gilt banding, hand-gilded in the European tradition. The warm ochre ground and its lightly distressed surface contribute to its rich patina and historic charm.

This piece reflects a sophisticated synthesis of Neoclassical revival and romantic landscape traditions within a utilitarian decorative object, ideal for use as a decorative umbrella stand or sculptural accent.

Measures:
23.375" h x 10.5" w x 7.5" d. See less