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Lot Essay
THE ROYAL PROVENANCE
These elegant commodini, with their distinctively high-hipped profile and striking kingwood trellis-parquetry framed by richly sculptural gilt-bronze mounts, are typical of the grand productions of Roman cabinet-makers of the 1750s and 60s. They are closely related to two pairs of magnificent Roman commodes, each of similar profile and with similar trellis parquetry, and sharing many of the same inventory markings. One pair is that sold by a member of a European Royal family at Christie's, London, 11 December 2003, lot 40, and the other pair is that in the Palazzo Quirinale in Rome, that had been acquired in Milan in 1899 from the dealer vedova Arigoni, for the bedroom of the Appartamento dei Ministri in the Villa Reale di Monza and subsequently transferred to the Quirinale in 1919 (see A. González-Palacios, Il Patrimonio Artistico del Quirinale: I Mobili Italiani, Milan, 1996, cat. 20, pp. 74-75).
In the late 19th century, the Villa Reale of Monza was lavishly re-furnished for the Royal family and it is probable that the present commodini were acquired when the above two mentioned pairs of commodes were purchased, as all three pairs are branded with closely related inventory numbers. The King privately purchased furniture at fairs, such as the 'Esposizione di Torino' in 1884 and the 'Venezia Biennale' in 1897, but also from dealers such as Galleria Sangiorgi in Rome.
Though none of the reference and inventory numbers on these commodini, or indeed of the two pairs of commodes mentioned above, have so far been identified in any of the thus far known inventories of the Palazzo Racconigi, it is likely that they were later moved to the palace near Turin. There are frequent recorded movements between the Villa Reale di Monza and Racconigi between 1903 and 1905 and the commodini might have been transferred at that time or a few years later.
THE MARKS AND INVENTORY NUMBERS
'L 25157' and 'L 25256'
These numbers indicate that these commodes were acquired for the Villa Reale of Monza, probably in the late 19th Century. Several pieces in the Quirinale which came back from Monza in 1919 also have inventory numbers starting with 'L', which could stand for Lombardy.
'DC'
These initials stand for 'Dotazione Corona' or Crown property.
'S.M. 2005' and 'S.M. 2006'
These initials stand for 'Sua Maesta', and therefore must refer to a further inventory of Royal works of art, possibly drawn up in the early 20th Century at Racconigi. These numbers are placed next to those of Monza, which have been crossed out. An inventory entitled 'della Sua Maesta' was drawn up in Turin between 1891-1907, but these commodes cannot be identified in the latter.
'P.P.R. 18307'
This either stands for 'Proprieta Privata Reale' or 'Principe Piemonte Racconigi'. The commodini are not mentioned in the 1880 inventory of Racconigi, nor in the inventories of 1911-1948(-'51), the numbering of which extends to 11000-15000. It is therefore arguable that 'P.P.R' might stand for 'Proprieta Privata Reale' (private Royal property), which could explain why the commodes do not feature in the official inventories of the palace. Other pieces of furniture marked 'P.P.R.' with links to the Royal House of Savoy include a Royal Louis XVI harpsichord, which was a gift from the city of Turin to Umberto, prince of Piedmont (later King Umberto II), on the occasion of his marriage to Marie-José of Belgium in 1930. And a writing table by Pietro Piffetti, sold from the Estate of the late Giuseppe Rossi, Sotheby's London, 10 March 1999, lot 45.
VILLA REALE DI MONZA
The construction of this palazzo for Archiduke Alexander, son of the Empress of Austria began in 1776, and was executed by the architect Giuseppe Piermarini, who had already collaborated with Luigi Vanvitelli on the design of Caserta. Close to Milan, the Villa Reale of Monza was built as an official residence. The Villa was emptied of most of its furnishings in 1859, which were transferred to the Palazzo Reale of Milan for the visit of Napoleon III. From that date, Monza was occupied by Umberto of Savoy (1844-1900), the 'Principe di Piemonte'. After his coronation in 1878, furniture was purchased in large quantities for the state and private rooms until 1900, the year in which the King was killed. From then on, Monza declined and remained virtually unused. In 1919, King Vittorio Emanuele III (1869-1947) took the decision to transfer ownership of most of his Royal residences to the Italian State. This date also corresponds to the return of some of Monza's furnishings to Rome, including furniture which had once come from the Quirinale (see A. González-Palacios, Il patrimonio artistico del Quirinale: I Mobili Italiani, Millan, 1996, pp.28-38).
RACCONIGI
With origins in the 12th Century, the palace of Racconigi in Piedmont became a Savoy-Carignano property in 1605 and was transformed into a princely residence. Later the private property of the Royal House of Savoy, Racconigi was gifted with its contents by King Vittorio Emmanuele III, to his son Umberto (1904-1983), Prince of Piedmont (later King Umberto II), following his marriage to Princess Marie-José of Belgium in 1930.
These elegant commodini, with their distinctively high-hipped profile and striking kingwood trellis-parquetry framed by richly sculptural gilt-bronze mounts, are typical of the grand productions of Roman cabinet-makers of the 1750s and 60s. They are closely related to two pairs of magnificent Roman commodes, each of similar profile and with similar trellis parquetry, and sharing many of the same inventory markings. One pair is that sold by a member of a European Royal family at Christie's, London, 11 December 2003, lot 40, and the other pair is that in the Palazzo Quirinale in Rome, that had been acquired in Milan in 1899 from the dealer vedova Arigoni, for the bedroom of the Appartamento dei Ministri in the Villa Reale di Monza and subsequently transferred to the Quirinale in 1919 (see A. González-Palacios, Il Patrimonio Artistico del Quirinale: I Mobili Italiani, Milan, 1996, cat. 20, pp. 74-75).
In the late 19th century, the Villa Reale of Monza was lavishly re-furnished for the Royal family and it is probable that the present commodini were acquired when the above two mentioned pairs of commodes were purchased, as all three pairs are branded with closely related inventory numbers. The King privately purchased furniture at fairs, such as the 'Esposizione di Torino' in 1884 and the 'Venezia Biennale' in 1897, but also from dealers such as Galleria Sangiorgi in Rome.
Though none of the reference and inventory numbers on these commodini, or indeed of the two pairs of commodes mentioned above, have so far been identified in any of the thus far known inventories of the Palazzo Racconigi, it is likely that they were later moved to the palace near Turin. There are frequent recorded movements between the Villa Reale di Monza and Racconigi between 1903 and 1905 and the commodini might have been transferred at that time or a few years later.
THE MARKS AND INVENTORY NUMBERS
'L 25157' and 'L 25256'
These numbers indicate that these commodes were acquired for the Villa Reale of Monza, probably in the late 19th Century. Several pieces in the Quirinale which came back from Monza in 1919 also have inventory numbers starting with 'L', which could stand for Lombardy.
'DC'
These initials stand for 'Dotazione Corona' or Crown property.
'S.M. 2005' and 'S.M. 2006'
These initials stand for 'Sua Maesta', and therefore must refer to a further inventory of Royal works of art, possibly drawn up in the early 20th Century at Racconigi. These numbers are placed next to those of Monza, which have been crossed out. An inventory entitled 'della Sua Maesta' was drawn up in Turin between 1891-1907, but these commodes cannot be identified in the latter.
'P.P.R. 18307'
This either stands for 'Proprieta Privata Reale' or 'Principe Piemonte Racconigi'. The commodini are not mentioned in the 1880 inventory of Racconigi, nor in the inventories of 1911-1948(-'51), the numbering of which extends to 11000-15000. It is therefore arguable that 'P.P.R' might stand for 'Proprieta Privata Reale' (private Royal property), which could explain why the commodes do not feature in the official inventories of the palace. Other pieces of furniture marked 'P.P.R.' with links to the Royal House of Savoy include a Royal Louis XVI harpsichord, which was a gift from the city of Turin to Umberto, prince of Piedmont (later King Umberto II), on the occasion of his marriage to Marie-José of Belgium in 1930. And a writing table by Pietro Piffetti, sold from the Estate of the late Giuseppe Rossi, Sotheby's London, 10 March 1999, lot 45.
VILLA REALE DI MONZA
The construction of this palazzo for Archiduke Alexander, son of the Empress of Austria began in 1776, and was executed by the architect Giuseppe Piermarini, who had already collaborated with Luigi Vanvitelli on the design of Caserta. Close to Milan, the Villa Reale of Monza was built as an official residence. The Villa was emptied of most of its furnishings in 1859, which were transferred to the Palazzo Reale of Milan for the visit of Napoleon III. From that date, Monza was occupied by Umberto of Savoy (1844-1900), the 'Principe di Piemonte'. After his coronation in 1878, furniture was purchased in large quantities for the state and private rooms until 1900, the year in which the King was killed. From then on, Monza declined and remained virtually unused. In 1919, King Vittorio Emanuele III (1869-1947) took the decision to transfer ownership of most of his Royal residences to the Italian State. This date also corresponds to the return of some of Monza's furnishings to Rome, including furniture which had once come from the Quirinale (see A. González-Palacios, Il patrimonio artistico del Quirinale: I Mobili Italiani, Millan, 1996, pp.28-38).
RACCONIGI
With origins in the 12th Century, the palace of Racconigi in Piedmont became a Savoy-Carignano property in 1605 and was transformed into a princely residence. Later the private property of the Royal House of Savoy, Racconigi was gifted with its contents by King Vittorio Emmanuele III, to his son Umberto (1904-1983), Prince of Piedmont (later King Umberto II), following his marriage to Princess Marie-José of Belgium in 1930.