Thomas Hope (1769–1831), the prolific designer, collector on a grand scale and innovative designer of great genius was major exponent in defining the Regency style in the decorative arts. Hope’s extensive Grand Tour travels in Europe, Egypt, Greece and Turkey inspired his interest in antiquities as a source of designs for Regency interiors, furniture and metalwork. Determined to reform contemporary taste by returning architecture, interior design and furniture to classical purity.
Hope’s startling juxtaposition of styles included Egyptian, Greek, Roman and Indian elements, as well as his own version of the French Empire style. Classical sculpture and vases were displayed alongside modern paintings and sculpture. Most striking of all was the inventive and exotic furniture that Hope designed specifically for his houses at Duchess street and Deepdene, a Georgian mansion in Surrey. Hope’s major work on interior design is ‘Household Furniture and Interior Decoration’ (1807), which influenced the Neoclassical movement.
Featured above is an exceptionally fine early 19th Century Regency giltwood overmantle mirror in the manner of Thomas Hope, the period plate of rectangular form set within finely carved giltwood frame with greek key motif and framed with scrolling foliate to the corners surmounted with crest of urn form flanked with intricately carved pair of opposing mythical dragons and scrolling foliate in high relief. The apron with centred mask flanked with linen swags, flowerheads, scrolling foliate and pair of figural carvings of Neoclassical winged nymphs again finely carved in high relief.
I have also included for you to view is beautiful gilt and marble lamp with lions head motif in the style of Thomas Hope.
An early 19th Century Regency Pair of rosewood jardiniere stands, in the manner of Thomas Hope, the moulded hexagonal tops with ebonised and gilded rims raised above ebonised and gilded lotus column supported on base of square form with book matched rosewood veneer.
A 19th Century Regency mahogany sofa table after Thomas Hope, with curved rectangular cross banded top raised over two frieze drawers with brass pulls, supported on elliptical legs joined by turned stretcher terminating on brass caps and castors.
Please browse through our website to see some other fine samples of antiques in both our Dublin and New York Galleries.
