Wooden chef-d'oeuvre of the Compagnonnage

France, 19th century
Walnut, maple and mohogany wood
H 185 cm
Provenance: former private collection, France

A fine, rare and large nineteenth-century wooden exhibition model, the chef d'oeuvre of a master carpenter of the Compagnonnage. These models were made to show the technical expertise and skill of the master carpenter. The Compagnonnage is an old French guild with roots in the 12th century. In the eighteenth century, they incorporated symbols and rituals, many of which were borrowed from Freemasonry to create an initiatory progression for its members.