Dutch 18th Century Painted Hall Bench

An 18th Century, neoclassical, carved and painted oak hall bench in the manner of Matthias Soiron (1748-1843). The railed back with unusual piastre-carved toprail, the seat apron with fluted and guttae panels and swags of husks flanking a central panel of plasterer’s or mason’s tools, perhaps indicating a connection with a freemason’s lodge, raised on square tapering fluted legs; painted duck-egg blue picked out in stoney white