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Lot Essay
With its exaggerated rococo shape and delicate polychrome painted decoration, this commode is a characteristic example of mid-18th Century Venetian furniture. With its amusing and naturalistic painted decoration, lacquerware produced in Venice and Genoa differs from other centers, which were strictly imitating oriental and chinoiserie lacquer. The intaiador executed and gessoed the carcases and supplied them to depentori who decorated the pieces with their own interpretations, often leaving little oriental influence to their production. It was then varnished with eighteen layers of sandracca.
The best examples still visible today are probably the rooms of the Palazzo Ca'Rezzonico in Venice. Some are entirely furnished with chinoiserie-decorated lacquer furniture, while other rooms display furniture stylistically closer to the present commode, with floral painted lacquer and gilt-scroll decoration. See G. Mariacher Ca' Rezzonico, Milan, 1967, n.165-168 and 196.
A closely related commode was sold, Christie's, London, 9 December 2004, lot 78 (£47.800).
The best examples still visible today are probably the rooms of the Palazzo Ca'Rezzonico in Venice. Some are entirely furnished with chinoiserie-decorated lacquer furniture, while other rooms display furniture stylistically closer to the present commode, with floral painted lacquer and gilt-scroll decoration. See G. Mariacher Ca' Rezzonico, Milan, 1967, n.165-168 and 196.
A closely related commode was sold, Christie's, London, 9 December 2004, lot 78 (£47.800).