Art Deco Column - 1850-1900 - Column in green marble

The subject:
Green sea marble or Gênes green is a type of marble made from serpentine, very soft, with a rather dark green color, speckled with various colors. It gets its name from the vein patterns that resemble the waves of the sea (Littré).
Its high cost was originally the cause of many imitations ('faux marble in sea green imitation'), to the point that, nowadays, the name most often refers to its imitation. The main quarry sites, located in the Gênes and Alps regions, are now abandoned.
Its polish is dull and it is poorly suited for external use. Mainly extracted from the region of North Gênes since the 16th century (hence its other name, 'Gênes green'), it was used to make ornamental works, vases, columns, and clocks.
It was once found in Egypt, where it had been exploited since antiquity, and nowadays in the Alps, with its imitation being very popular in the 19th century under Napoleon I, where it was used as decoration for pastry shop fronts (Sea Green Faux-Marble, or marble in trompe-l'œil). This marble was known, for example, as Vert Maurin: the staircase of the Opéra Garnier and Napoleon's tomb.
Description :
Square-shaped sea green marble column with a top at the corners. Bronze decoration on the front in the shape of a torch surrounded by a laurel wreath and a decorative plaque.
Origin :
This item was purchased by Sébastien Delcampe during the show Affaire conclue broadcast on March 10, 2023. It was brought in by Magali; it was a family heirloom about which she did not have much information.
Size:
120/32 cm
Warranty
The item is delivered with an authenticity certificate.
Delivery:
Hand delivery