Swedish Gustavian Style 1850s Painted Console Table with Carved Guilloche Frieze

A Swedish Gustavian style painted wood console table from the mid 19th century with carved guilloche motifs, tapered legs and distressed patina. Created in Sweden during the 1850s, this Gustavian style console table features a rectangular top sitting above an elegant apron carved with a carved frieze of guilloches running along its four sides. The table is raised on four tapered legs completing the ensemble beautifully. Painted in a soft color typical of the Swedish taste for light palettes aiming at brightening the rooms during the dark winters of Scandinavia, the table boasts a nicely weathered patina.

The Gustavian style takes its roots in the Louis XVI era. Swedish King Gustav III resided in 1771 in Paris, at the beginning stages of the Louis XVI style. There, he was inspired by French art and fashion. With that in his luggage, he had a strong desire to introduce something similar in Sweden. The country had fine craftsmen with high quality craftsmanship, who produced a simple style with harmonious aesthetics. The Gustavian style was born and has been in vogue ever since. It is incredibly popular, especially in England but also in France and in the USA. Price and age are of course inextricably linked, the older and rarer the higher the price!

With its clean lines and delicately carved guilloche frieze, this Swedish Gustavian style painted console table circa 1850 will bring a touch of Classical elegance to any home, whether placed in a living room, bedroom or hallway.