Nicolas Aubagnac
Collections
GALILEE
_pedestal table
1 / 5
A collector's item
This is the last piece in the series…
The idea for this pedestal table was born following the legendary exhibition of the Kugel brothers, famous Parisian antique dealers, dedicated to armillary spheres, "Spheres, the Art of Celestial Mechanics" in 2002.
An armillary sphere is an instrument formerly used in astronomy to model the celestial sphere. It was used to show the apparent movement of the stars, the sun, and the planets that make up our solar system. Their manufacture dates back to antiquity and continued during the Renaissance, eventually becoming a true art object for collectors with a passion for science.
For me, the armillary sphere is as much a scientific object as a poetic one, because it embodies our thirst for knowledge as well as our need for wonder in the face of the mysteries of the universe.
Armillary sphere in solid brass, gilded with 18-carat gold leaf
glass tray
D = 31.5 in – H = 23.62 in
A jewelry book
The armillary sphere forms the central motif of this pedestal table. No welding, only mechanical joinery like in jewelry.
The sphere is made of brass gilded with fine gold. It is mounted on a curved and gadrooned support, and encircled by four large, chiseled arcs. Five circles, which can be freely arranged, rotate in orbit around the sun.
To achieve this, we had to find a skilled craftsman capable of understanding the precise mechanism of the object and mastering the assembly of the pieces using techniques comparable to those of fine jewelry.
