Tabletop ecclesiastical lectern with griffins. - Wood - 1850-1900

Important and scenographic ecclesiastical desk stand for a missal, Italian-made and dating to around 1900, crafted in carved and inlaid wood.

The most noteworthy element is the supporting structure, characterized by two large fully round carved griffins with open jaws, wings spread and hooked paws. The figures support the inclined lectern top and give the whole piece a strong neogothic and historicist character, typical of the nineteenth-century revival taste.

Particularly rich is the decoration of the top, enriched by contrasting wood inlays depicting an elaborate motif of grapevines, leaves, and grape bunches, arranged symmetrically around a large central cross. The iconography of the vine and grape, traditionally associated with the Eucharist, emphasizes the religious purpose of the object.

The rectangular base features dark wood moldings and rests on four feet carved in the shape of predatory paws, in harmony with the griffins that bear the lectern.

An object of notable decorative presence, interesting both as a piece of sacred and ecclesiastical art and as an example of historicist cabinetmaking of the nineteenth century.

The specimen shows signs of age and use compatible with its period, including scratches, surface wear, wood cracks, openings at some joints, small losses, and traces of previous interventions/repairs. There are also cracks and restoration marks on some carved elements.

Please carefully observe all photographs, which are an integral part of the description and document details and condition.

Period: second half of the nineteenth century, circa 1900
Origin: Italy
Material: carved, inlaid and partially ebonized wood
Style: Historicism / Neogothic
Decorative subject: winged griffins, cross, grapevines and grape clusters
Use: ecclesiastical lectern / missal lectern

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