A pair of white marble and metal mounted columns, Italy, 17th century, the garland later

The use of a metal garland encircling each marble column, adorned with oak leaves, might suggest a commission from one of the two families that shaped Italy in modern times. The della Rovere family, a powerful Italian noble family, ducal and papal, has been irrevocably associated with this emblem, right down to its telling coat of arms. However, as the original branch of the della Rovere family disappeared at the end of the 17th century, it may be more appropriate here to refer to the Chigi, a princely and papal family whose history is closely linked to that of the della Rovere family. During the pontificate of Julius II, Agostino Chigi obtained the right to use the oak leaf emblem, which he then had added to the family coat of arms. 

Our pair of columns could be a testament to the powerful Italian nobility and its hold on the arts. Symbols of triumph and immortality, columns were widely used as supports, but they also took the form, especially in Italy, of fully autonomous art objects. Like the Trajan and Vendôme columns, which celebrate imperial power, the decoration on our pair of columns is based on an ascending twist.