A CARLOS IV GONCALO ALVES FRUITWOOD AND MARQUETRY BUREAU

LATE 18TH CENTURY

Details

A CARLOS IV GONCALO ALVES FRUITWOOD AND MARQUETRY BUREAU
Late 18th Century
Banded overall and inlaid with triple geometric interlaced lines, the rectangular top inlaid with a quarter-veneered simulated panel, above a hinged fall-front inlaid with a conforming panel and centred by an oval inlaid with a flower spray, framed by chequer-banded lines and interlaced roundels, enclosing a fitted interior inlaid overall with simulated panels, centred by an arched door inlaid with a floral spray within a medallion, enclosing a plain interior with a drawer, flanked to either side by an open compartment above two drawers, above a frieze-drawer simulated as three drawers and inlaid with simulated fluting, above three simulated breakfront drawers centred by a flower spray within an oval, the sides inlaid conformingly, on square tapering legs, minor restorations
49in. (124 cm.) high; 48 in. (123 cm.) wide; 24 in. (61 cm.) deep

Lot Essay

This bureau, and the bureau plat sold as lot 116, were conceived in the late 18th Century Spanish version of the Louis XVI style, the so-called Carlos IV style. Whereas in the early part of that century artistic inspiration had mainly come from France, the latter part also shows a resurgance of Italian taste, through the influences of the architect F. Juvara (d. 1736), and the decorator M. Gasparini (d. 1774). A. Ciechanowiecki, 'Spain and Portugal', in H. Hayward, World Furniture, London, 1965, p. 160. Two commodes, with similar geometric marquetry decoration, are illustrated in E. Jardi (ed.), Moble Catala, Barcelona, 1994, pp. 270-273, nrs. 54 and 55.

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