Carved and Pierced Walnut Staircase Volute, France, 18th Century

Description

Carved from a single piece of solid walnut, this staircase volute features a Baroque decoration of confronted scrolls, foliage scrolls and a stylized foliate motif in high relief. Its upper section terminates in a curling volute, while the flat back retains the original assembly mortise intended to receive the handrail. The warm-toned aged patina accentuates the pierced work and the depth of the carving. An element of 18th-century French interior architecture, it may be reintegrated into a structure or presented as an autonomous decorative art object.