AN ITALIAN NEOCLASSIC ORMOLU-MOUNTED ROSEWOOD, WALNUT AND PARQUETRY COMMODINO

GENOA, CIRCA 1780

Details

AN ITALIAN NEOCLASSIC ORMOLU-MOUNTED ROSEWOOD, WALNUT AND PARQUETRY COMMODINO
Genoa, circa 1780
The rectangular inset Spanish brocatelle marble top within a three quarter gallery with roundels at corners, above an open frieze compartment, over a pair of doors, within a ribbon-twisted surround, the sides and back with Vitruvian scroll borders, with ormolu husk-cast swag-form handles, the right side with a small drawer enclosing a fitted interior, on turned tapering faux-fluted spiral-twist legs with leaf-cast feet
35in. (90cm.) high, 18in. (46cm.) wide, 12in. (31.5cm.) deep

Lot Essay

The striking use of neoclassical inlay on this tavolino da notte (which is veneered on all four sides) in particular the spiral-twist of the legs and the Vitruvian scroll frieze, in combination with the finely chased laurel swag ormolu handles, relates it to a group of Genoese commodes and night tables executed in the 1780's and 1790's. Although the celebrated Milanese cabinet-maker Giuseppe Maggiolini is known to have worked in Genoa (he supplied a magnificent marquetry commode to Marchese Domenico Serra in 1784) and undoubtedly exerted an influence, the Genoese cabinet-makers favored a more sparing but bolder inlay, with less elaborate use of floral motifs. Other closely related tavolini da notte are illustrated in A. Gonzalez-Palacios, Il Mobile in Liguria, Genoa, 1996, pp. 285-7 and in G. Morazzoni, Il Mobile Neoclassico Italiano, Milan, 1955, fig. CXLVIII, the latter with spiral-fluted legs.
(see also detail illustration on p. 88)