Russian Louis XVI hunting gun rack

Ships from The Netherlands

KOL
Kollenburg Antiquairs BV
Premier Seller

A gilt and patinated hunting gun rack with chased and gilt copper appliqués depicting hunting scenes against a patinated background. The rack’s upper section visually references Russian icons and derives from the characteristic onion-shaped domes found on Russian Orthodox churches. The point at the top tapers to a sharp tip with a gilt bronze ring from which the rack can be suspended. Within the gilt bronze frame, set against a patinated bronze background, is the decorative scheme, divided across three sections. The theme is clearly hunting. On the bottom section we see many men, both on foot and ahorse, hunting large and small game with firearms and spears in a forested landscape. Set on a rise in the background on the right, we see a manor with a tower.

The middle section depicts a manor in a wooded setting, populated by men returning from the hunt. In front of the house, four men are tossing and catching a dog or fox in a large net. Next to them on the ground lies an impressive trophy: a large red deer.

The upper section shows a triumphal arch with a fountain constructed around Venus, who sits with Cupid on a giant clamshell in the centre of the arch. The entirety of this scene is decorated with aquatic elements, including waves, sea creatures, spraying fountains and shells. Atop the arch stands the winged goddess of victory, Victoria.

Below these three ornamental sections is an openwork silvered copper grille with a complex, elegant pattern of flowers and loops within geometric lattices. Underneath this grille, the rack’s lower edge is lined with six knobs. These are secured with a movable bar, which can be swung aside to access the knobs, then returned to its original position and locked in place to secure the objects suspended from the knobs.

Origin and period
Henkell family, Wiesbaden
Name
Russian Louis XVI hunting gun rack
Categories
Arms, Armor and Weapons
Periods
18th Century ca. 1790 Antique
Materials
gilt bronze, chased and gilt copper, patinated copper, silvered brass
Styles
Louis XVI
Measurements
Height: 95 cm, Width: 81 cm
Reference
KOLA100646
KOL
Kollenburg Antiquairs BV
Premier Seller
Artlistings seller since 2015
Located in Oirschot , The Netherlands

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