Guéridon: The French Pedestal Table and Its Origins in Decorative Art

This article forms part of the Decorative and Applied Arts Encyclopedia, a master reference hub providing a structured overview of design history, materials, movements, and practitioners.

Early 20th-century Liberty-style table by Giovanni Battista Gianotti, crafted in Milan. Features elegant wood inlays, curved supports, and intricate decorative details.
This Liberty-style table, crafted by Giovanni Battista Gianotti in early 20th-century Milan, showcases elegant curved supports, intricate wood inlays, and fine craftsmanship. A stunning example of Italian Art Nouveau furniture.

A candlestand or small table, usually circular, designed to hold a candelabrum.

The guéridon typically takes the form of a slender pedestal or column. It is set on a tripod or carved feet and surmounted by a shallow tray. Originating in France, the form became especially popular in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. It was used as an elegant piece of auxiliary furniture in salons. It supported candles, objets d’art, or refreshments.

French 1930s Art Deco Modernist Table Gueridon by Michel Dufet featured image
French 1930s Art Deco Modernist Table Gueridon by Michel Dufet

During the reign of Louis XIV, some guéridons were elaborately carved as figural supports. They often depicted a Black or Moorish attendant bearing a tray. According to tradition, the term guéridon may derive from a celebrated Moorish slave of the period. He was known in Provençal popular songs by that name. His association with service and display became attached to this distinctive table type.

Compact, ornamental, and highly adaptable, the guéridon remains a defining example of French decorative furniture. It balances sculptural presence with practical function.

Sources

Fleming, J. (1986). The Penguin dictionary of decorative arts. Penguin Books.

Discover more from Encyclopedia of Design

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.