Pair Of Large Pilaster Capitals - Woodwork - Natural Oak - Louis XVI

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Pair of large Louis XVI pilaster capitals
Carved and moulded oak 
Paris, late 18th century 
H. 60 ; W. 36 ; D. 10

Our pair of capitals rest on a slightly arched lower section decorated with fluting; the upper section is richly carved with foliage in high and low relief, allowing the light to catch and play with the capitals. 

A testament to neoclassical architecture
Since La supplication aux orfèvres (1754) and the rediscovery of Herculaneum and Pompeii, art has returned to the sources of ancient classicism. The whole of Paris was Greek, and the neoclassical style took hold in all the arts. We can illustrate our point with Soufflot's construction of the church of Sainte-Geneviève, which embodies the permeability of the ancient model in neoclassical architecture.

The presence of grooves in the upper and lower parts suggests that these are two elements from an architectural ensemble that was dismantled or unfortunately destroyed. This pair of capitals was most likely originally located on the upper part of a church altarpiece.
A rare example of the penetration of Neoclassicism into religious art, our pair of fragments would be ideal as wall decorations, door frames or simply standing on the top of a chest of drawers. 

Condition report: minor wear and minor chips.