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Lot Essay
Conceived in the mid-18th century as part of a lavish Rococo boiserie for the salon on the piano nobile of the Palazzo Morosini in Venice this opulently shaped, parcel-gilt and exquisitely painted commode has a distinguished provenance - comprising several of Europe's ruling dynasties - to match its magnificent appearance.
Following the death in 1884 of Contessa Lauredana Morosini-Gatterburg, only daughter of Elisabetta Morosini and Anton Graf von Gatterburg, and last member of the Morosini family, the magnificent collections of the Morosini family were sold at their Venetian Palazzo. Through her grandmother, Lauredana Maria Grimani, Contessa Lauredana could claim three Doges of Venice as ancestors and through the Morosini side of her family, which traces its Venetian roots back to the 10th Century, she could claim several cardinals and further Doges, including the most legendary Doge, Francesco Morosini (d. 1694), known as the Peloponnesiaco for his role in the subjugation of Greece and the fight against the Turks. Several tributes to the Morosini family can still be found in Venice, including Tintoretto's celebrated painting 'Risen Christ with St. Andrew and members of the Morosini family' at San Giorgio Maggiore.
The catalogue for the gigantic sale that lasted from 15 to 22 May 1894 was distributed throughout all major cities, including Paris, London, Berlin, St. Petersburg and New York, and works of art from this sale made their way into many of the most famous collections and museums across the world. Of the 769 lots, which encompassed a vast array of fine art, bronzes, marble sculptures, clocks, porcelain and magnificent pearl and diamond jewellery, there were just 35 lots of furniture. These included the lavish panelling from the Salon with the furniture conceived en suite. Described in the catalogue as 'Boiserie de salon composée de paneaux peints, décorés de fleurs et de paysages dans le goût Guardi, avec encadrements en bois sculpté et doré à branchages et ornements rapportés en relief...' the boiserie, lot 343, was preceded by two splendid commodes, lots 344 and 345, described respectively as 'Commode à deux tiroirs provenant de la pièce dans laquelle de trouvait la boiserie qui précède, avec dessus de marbre, Larg., 1 m 55 cent.' and 'Autre commode, provenant de la meme suite, mais à un tiroir. - Larg., 1 m. 48 cm.'
The second commode was acquired by Grand Duchess Anastasia Mikhailovna (1860-1922), daughter of Grand Duke Michael Nikolaievich of Russia, for Villa Wenden, the Italian style palace she had built with her husband, Grand Duke Friedrich Franz of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, at Cannes to escape the north-German winter. In 1905 Duchess Anastasia's youngest daughter Cecilie (1886-1954) married the German Crown Prince Wilhem and when the villa in Cannes was sold the commode was moved to Schloss Oels, the Silesian Renaissance castle Crown Prince Wilhelm had inherited from Emperor Friedrich III. It was at Schloss Oels in 1940 that Crown Princess Cecilie invited the young Count Carl Ludwig von Berg-Schönfeld, a close university friend of her sons, to choose an item for the manor-house he had inherited in Schönfeld and having inspected every room and salon of the castle Count Schönfeld decided on a splendid Italian commode - the Morosini commode. It was delivered with a hand-written note from the Crown Princess (which forms part of this lot) a few months later but the erupting war soon saw the manor house turned into a refugee camp and then separated from its owner behind the iron curtain. When Count Schönfeld finally got the chance to visit his house again some 20 years later it had been emptied completely, with much of the furniture having been burned during the winter months; however, a tenant farmer - unaware of its colourful history - had rescued the commode and its remarkable story continued, taking the commode first back across the iron curtain to Count Schönfeld and subsequently to his niece and present owner, Countess Henckel von Donnersmarck.
Analysis of the parcel-gilt and painted surface has shown that the commode retains its original decoration, with a thin ground of white gesso covered by a reddish brown clay and water gilding as well as painted details in white and red lead-based paints on a pale Prussian blue ground which today appears light green through the discolouration of the yellowish-brown covering varnish, quite probably the original protective varnish.
Following the death in 1884 of Contessa Lauredana Morosini-Gatterburg, only daughter of Elisabetta Morosini and Anton Graf von Gatterburg, and last member of the Morosini family, the magnificent collections of the Morosini family were sold at their Venetian Palazzo. Through her grandmother, Lauredana Maria Grimani, Contessa Lauredana could claim three Doges of Venice as ancestors and through the Morosini side of her family, which traces its Venetian roots back to the 10th Century, she could claim several cardinals and further Doges, including the most legendary Doge, Francesco Morosini (d. 1694), known as the Peloponnesiaco for his role in the subjugation of Greece and the fight against the Turks. Several tributes to the Morosini family can still be found in Venice, including Tintoretto's celebrated painting 'Risen Christ with St. Andrew and members of the Morosini family' at San Giorgio Maggiore.
The catalogue for the gigantic sale that lasted from 15 to 22 May 1894 was distributed throughout all major cities, including Paris, London, Berlin, St. Petersburg and New York, and works of art from this sale made their way into many of the most famous collections and museums across the world. Of the 769 lots, which encompassed a vast array of fine art, bronzes, marble sculptures, clocks, porcelain and magnificent pearl and diamond jewellery, there were just 35 lots of furniture. These included the lavish panelling from the Salon with the furniture conceived en suite. Described in the catalogue as 'Boiserie de salon composée de paneaux peints, décorés de fleurs et de paysages dans le goût Guardi, avec encadrements en bois sculpté et doré à branchages et ornements rapportés en relief...' the boiserie, lot 343, was preceded by two splendid commodes, lots 344 and 345, described respectively as 'Commode à deux tiroirs provenant de la pièce dans laquelle de trouvait la boiserie qui précède, avec dessus de marbre, Larg., 1 m 55 cent.' and 'Autre commode, provenant de la meme suite, mais à un tiroir. - Larg., 1 m. 48 cm.'
The second commode was acquired by Grand Duchess Anastasia Mikhailovna (1860-1922), daughter of Grand Duke Michael Nikolaievich of Russia, for Villa Wenden, the Italian style palace she had built with her husband, Grand Duke Friedrich Franz of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, at Cannes to escape the north-German winter. In 1905 Duchess Anastasia's youngest daughter Cecilie (1886-1954) married the German Crown Prince Wilhem and when the villa in Cannes was sold the commode was moved to Schloss Oels, the Silesian Renaissance castle Crown Prince Wilhelm had inherited from Emperor Friedrich III. It was at Schloss Oels in 1940 that Crown Princess Cecilie invited the young Count Carl Ludwig von Berg-Schönfeld, a close university friend of her sons, to choose an item for the manor-house he had inherited in Schönfeld and having inspected every room and salon of the castle Count Schönfeld decided on a splendid Italian commode - the Morosini commode. It was delivered with a hand-written note from the Crown Princess (which forms part of this lot) a few months later but the erupting war soon saw the manor house turned into a refugee camp and then separated from its owner behind the iron curtain. When Count Schönfeld finally got the chance to visit his house again some 20 years later it had been emptied completely, with much of the furniture having been burned during the winter months; however, a tenant farmer - unaware of its colourful history - had rescued the commode and its remarkable story continued, taking the commode first back across the iron curtain to Count Schönfeld and subsequently to his niece and present owner, Countess Henckel von Donnersmarck.
Analysis of the parcel-gilt and painted surface has shown that the commode retains its original decoration, with a thin ground of white gesso covered by a reddish brown clay and water gilding as well as painted details in white and red lead-based paints on a pale Prussian blue ground which today appears light green through the discolouration of the yellowish-brown covering varnish, quite probably the original protective varnish.