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Lot Essay
This impressive bureau-cabinet, with raised ebonised mouldings framing panels of richly figured walnut and olivewood, typifies the output of cabinet-makers from the eastern part of Lombardy in the mid-18th Century. The centres of Bergamo and Brescia in the mid-18th century were particularly active, and included the workshops of Fantoni of Rovetta and Caiana, both very skilled architects and carvers, whose work still exists in several Brescian churches (E. Colle, Il Mobile Rococo' in Italia, Milan, 2003, pp. 388-391).
The main characteristic of commodes and cabinets produced in Milan and eastern Lombardy at the time was the addition of ebonized borders and mouldings (A. Gonzàles-Palacios, Il Tempio del Gusto. Le Arti decorative in Italia fra Classicismo e Barocco. Il Gran Ducato di Toscana e gli Stati settentrionali, Milan, 1986, p. 253). It is worth citing the altar of Saint Andrew in the church of San Giacomo Maggiore in Crema as an example of this distinctive style, executed by the workshop of Fantoni between 1712 and 1714 (E. Colle, 'Dipingere coll'Intarsiatura in legno: appunti sul mobile lombardo', Rassegna di Studi e notizie del Castello Sforzesco, XIX, 1995, p. 105).
The present bureau-cabinet, from Lombardy, whilst still following this style, is also splendidly decorated with fine naturalistic marquetry on the sloping front and drawers, depicting still lives and birds, typical of North European production. Further related Lombardy cabinets are illustrated in C. Alberici, Il Mobile Lombardo, Milan 1969, pp. 110-112.
The main characteristic of commodes and cabinets produced in Milan and eastern Lombardy at the time was the addition of ebonized borders and mouldings (A. Gonzàles-Palacios, Il Tempio del Gusto. Le Arti decorative in Italia fra Classicismo e Barocco. Il Gran Ducato di Toscana e gli Stati settentrionali, Milan, 1986, p. 253). It is worth citing the altar of Saint Andrew in the church of San Giacomo Maggiore in Crema as an example of this distinctive style, executed by the workshop of Fantoni between 1712 and 1714 (E. Colle, 'Dipingere coll'Intarsiatura in legno: appunti sul mobile lombardo', Rassegna di Studi e notizie del Castello Sforzesco, XIX, 1995, p. 105).
The present bureau-cabinet, from Lombardy, whilst still following this style, is also splendidly decorated with fine naturalistic marquetry on the sloping front and drawers, depicting still lives and birds, typical of North European production. Further related Lombardy cabinets are illustrated in C. Alberici, Il Mobile Lombardo, Milan 1969, pp. 110-112.