A superbly decorative pair of 'Goût Égyptienne' obelisks in black and Rouge Griotte marbles, with exquisite relief decorations picked out in silver and gold.
 
France, mid- to late 19th century.
 
Exceptional quality, original decoration.
 
Why we like them
Beautiful objects like these have always been a favourite souvenir from the Grand Tour. Thanks to their ancient, timeless form, architectural but at the same time highly sculptural, these objects are perfectly suited for classical and modern interiors.
 
Originally called tekhenu by the Ancient Egyptians, obelisks played a vital role in the religion as well as in the architecture of the ancient Egypt, often found in pairs at the entrance of the temples. The word "obelisk" as used in English today is of Greek rather than Egyptian origin because Herodotus, the Greek traveller, was one of the first classical writers to use the term 'obeliskos' to describe them. In Egyptian mythology, the obelisk symbolized the sun god Ra, and was said to have been a petrified ray of the Aten, the sundisk. The pyramid and obelisk's significance have been previously overlooked, especially the astronomical phenomena connected with sunrise and sunset: Zodiacal light and sun pillars respectively.
 
From around the middle of the 17th century, young, wealthy graduates of Oxford and Cambridge Universities began embarking on voyages around the Mediterranean. The purpose of these expeditions was to discover the roots of European culture through art, literature, and archaeology. ‘Grand Tours’, as they became known, were soon both educational and social rites of passage among the nobility. For any length of time from months to years, grand tourists would travel with a cohort of guides and chaperons through countries such as Germany, Switzerland, Austria, France, Egypt and the Holy Lands — and most importantly, Italy.