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E. 19th C. French Provincial Walnut Prie-Dieu
Antique French Provincial Walnut Prie-Dieu, early 19th Century, having a scalloped top with pendant cormers, slant front lid and cupboard, with lip top kneeling base.
H:66" W:25" D;21"
Prie dieu kneelers are also referred to as prayer desks. A small surface is located at the top of the prie dieu for a book and a small step is attached to the desk for kneeling at the base. Prayers are given at the prie dieu kneeler. The prie-dieu, literally "pray God," is type of prayer desk primarily intended for private use, but often found in churches of the European continent. It is a small ornamental wooden desk furnished with a sloping shelf for books, and a cushioned kneeling piece. It appears not to have received its present name until the early part of the 17th century. At that period in France a small room or oratory was sometimes known by the same name. A similar form of chair, in domestic furniture is called "prie-dieu" by analogy.This is a praying desk for one individual with a knee bench close to the floor and a vertical panel supporting an armrest, below which there is usually a shelf for prayer books and the like. The knee rest and arm support are often upholstered. First used by the higher clergy during religious services in the early European Middle Ages, the prie-dieu became popular in the 19th century owing partly to the Gothic Revival, partly to a pietistic passion for family prayers. During this period their secular use was extended by the introduction of prie-dieu (or devotional) chairs, which followed the general shape of the purely religious version but extended the knee rest to form a low seat.
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