SECOND QUARTER 18TH CENTURY

This impressive bureau cabinet is decorated throughout with the 'lacca povera' or 'arte povera' technique which consists of cutting up polychrome-decorated prints to imitate the visual effects of oriental lacquer. The printed decoration, depicting a variety of scenes from extravagant foliate and floral scrolls, rocaille motifs, pastoral scenes in the Watteau manner, to hunting scenes and variously dressed figures create a fabulous visual impact. These coloured prints are generally set on a light coloured ground, light grey in this instance, which is then covered with a specific yellowish varnish called 'sandracca'. The interest of the 'sandracca' is to simulate the shiny and glossy surface of the oriental lacquer while attenuating the contrast of the glued printed vignettes. With time, the multiple layers of 'sandracca' turn slightly darker and create an intricate network of fine craquelure which can be seen under close examination. The coloured vignettes combined with a pale shiny ground and giltwood mouldings gives a tremendously rich visual scheme.

The inspiration for 'lacca povera' originated from the intense commercial exchanges that port cities like Venice and Genoa entertained with the Orient throughout the 17th and 18th centuries, with every type of lacquered goods being imported from both Japan and China. While Venice was one of the first cities in Europe to produce imitations of oriental lacquer in order to produce a more affordable version of the rare and extremely expensive oriental import, several centres for the production of 'lacca povera' by so-called 'laccatori' soon flourished in various Northern Italian regions - from Veneto to Lombardy - to satisfy growing demand for this lacquer work.

Bureau cabinets such as this example rank amongst the most spectacular examples by Italian 'laccatori'. Despite the minor refreshments to the decoration, the lacca povera has remained intact and well preserved thanks to the protective yellowish 'sandracca' varnish. Interestingly, this bureau cabinet is presented with panelled doors fully decorated with 'lacca povera' whilst others feature glazed doors. Related examples include a lacca povera bureau cabinet sold Christie's, London, 4 July 2017, lot 124 (£87,500); another from the collection of Eva, Countess of Rosebery, sold Sotheby's London, 30 November 1990, lot 94 (£159,500); a lacca povera fall-front bureau from the Galletto collection, sold Christie's House sale, Proptietà Galletto, Genoa, 19 June 2000, lot 45. Other good examples are conserved in museums, such as a related bureau cabinet in the Museo Civico, Milan (illustrated in S. Colombo,
L'Arte del Legno e del Mobile in Italia, Milan, 1981, fig. 407).

PRINCE GREGORIO BONCOMPAGNI-LUDOVISI

The Prince was the 10th great grandson of Pope Gregory XIII Boncompagni (1572-1585), who introduced the Gregorian Calendar, and 9th great grandnephew of Pope Gregory XV Ludovisi (1621-1623), who founded the modern system of Papal elections. He held as his major title that of Prince of Piombino (Principato di Piombino), a small principality in present day Tuscany centred around the city of Piombino and including part of the island of Elba. It existed from 1399 to 1805, when it was merged into the Principality of Lucca and Piombino.