19th Century French Gothic Revival Carved Oak Library Bookcase

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A 19th century French Gothic Revival bookcase in quarter sawn oak, its warm patina deepened by more than a century … Read more A 19th century French Gothic Revival bookcase in quarter sawn oak, its warm patina deepened by more than a century of life in a Catholic church in France, where it most likely served in the library or vestry. Pointed arches over the glazed doors and a pierced gallery above give it the quiet grandeur of the church itself.
Every carving carries meaning. The chalice on the left door honors the Eucharist, the heart of the Catholic Mass, while the cross rising above the Marian monogram on the right recalls the Virgin Mary standing at the foot of the cross. Trefoil arches along the gallery represent the Holy Trinity, the quatrefoil tracery traditionally evokes the four Evangelists, and the fleur de lis crowning the top was long a symbol of the Virgin's purity as well as of France. Built with traditional frame and panel construction, it was made to endure.
The Gothic Revival was part of the 19th century revival of all French styles that celebrated the refined legacy of French furniture making, bringing the language of medieval cathedrals into fine furniture.
In a library, study or home office it offers a commanding home for fine books and collections, and it is equally striking in a dining room filled with china and crystal or in an entry hall beneath a high ceiling.
Circa 1870s
Measures 103.5H x 52W x 19D
Available at Inessa Stewart's Antiques, Dallas Design District, Dallas, Texas. See less