Large Eiffel Tower in Fretwork and Polychrome Wood — French Folk Art, circa 1900

An astonishing and striking large model of the Eiffel Tower, entirely executed in fretwork and polychrome wood. This work of patience and artisanal virtuosity is distinguished by the fineness of its openwork decorations, its architectural elegance and its numerous hand-painted details. The openwork façades are enriched with geometric motifs enhanced with vivid colours — red, blue, green — lending the whole a naïve and authentic charm. Small "RF" (République Française) escutcheons painted on either side are notable, underlining the patriotic character of the work. This tower is composed of two distinct parts:

. The base with its four pillars

. The tower proper which fits into the base

This piece is probably a showcase piece or a commemorative work, executed for the Paris World's Fair (1889) or in the following decades, when the Eiffel Tower had become a national symbol. A rare and striking piece by its scale and decorative quality. Ideal for a folk art collection, a shop display or an evocative Belle Époque setting.