Spanish Bargueno Portable Chest

Full height : 133 cm including 2 cm marble Length : 90 cm Depth : 44 cm Table top : 82.5 x 70 cm Inner dimensions « lower part » Length : 76 cm Depth : 44 cm Made from an Italian desk from the late 1940s. Birch bark marquetry and mineral inlays : stone, labradorite (inside outside), amethyst, crystals. The inside is enriched with straw marquetry and patinated silver foils. The two doors present marquetry on both sides with an inner mirror to provide light and reflect the top marquetry. Rock crystal handles, Rain forest green marble from Rajahstan. Sophie Gallardo has studied interior design before learning wood painting restoration...

Condition : Partly dating from the Renaissance. The backs and the drawer’s insides have been re-done. Historical background The 16th century is a prosperous period for Lyon...

The lower part It stands on an ogee molded base and four feet with two front legs more massive and detailed than the others. It opens with two doors and three drawers. The vert...

A rare carved walnut wardrobe opening with four door-leaves and two drawers in the lower part. The doors bear architectural views in low reliefs, fluted pilasters and Ionic capitals. Upper Body Two door-leaves with carved architectural perspectives open the wardrobe framed by three fluted pilasters with Ionic capitals. Each door-leaf depict two semi-circular arcades whose cornice and base shows a central vanishing point. Likewise the pavement’s lines act for the artisan as a way to create depth. The vaulting instead leads us to think the vanishing point has to be situated where the handle is, between the two complementaries reliefs. The elegant moulded belt hides an internal secret space, accessible through a moveable plank in the upper body. Lower Body Two door-leaves identical to those of the upper body framed by three fluted pilasters with Doric capitals. The base of the wardrobe opens with two large drawers. The sides also bear panels depicting architectural perspectives. The external pilasters share their Ionic capital with the facade’s pilasters. Thus we can observe on the wardrobe’s sides the capital’s lateral parts with the elegant volute specific to the Ionic order. This palace wardrobe is topped by an overlapping cornice standing on three consoles for the facade and two consoles on each sides. Placed right above the pilasters each console are adorned by fully expanded leaves. During the 15th century a major interest for architecture and perspective studies arises and influences patrons tastes. The work of great theorists such as Leon Battista Alberti...