Cordoba School Artist, Solomonic Column, 1700s, Wood Sculpture

Magnificent Solomonic column belonging to the decorative structure of a baroque altarpiece dating from the eighteenth century. This piece, originally, would have been attached to the altarpiece structure, therefore, polychrome can only be seen on the visible side; on the other side the carved wood can be seen, but naked, without gold or pigments.

This Solomonic column twists on its own axis with a serpentine form. The entire surface is decorated with polychrome plant motifs in shades of green with gilding on them made with fine gold leaf of high quality.

About the Solomonic columns

Solomonic columns are a type of architectural column characterized by their helical shape, similar to a screw, and decorated with vegetal motifs. This architectural style originated in the 16th century in Italy and became popular in the 17th and 18th century in Europe and Latin America.

The Solomonic column has a complex and elaborate shape, with a shaft that twists in a spiral and is intertwined with vegetal motifs, such as leaves, flowers and fruits. This helical shape gives the column a dynamic and elegant appearance, and the vegetal decoration gives it a natural and organic look. They were usually carved in wood or stone and painted in bright and vivid colors, such as gold, red, green or blue, to highlight the details of the vegetal decorations. Precious materials, such as marble and bronze, were also used to give them a more natural look.