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Lot Essay
This impressive bureau cabinet is decorated throughout with the 'lacca povera' or 'arte povera' technique which consists of cutting up polychrome-decorated prints to imitate the visual effects of oriental lacquer.
The printed decoration, depicting a variety of scenes from extravagant foliate and floral scrolls, rocaille motifs, pastoral scenes in the Watteau manner, to chinoiserie scenes and variously dressed figures create fabulous visual impact. These coloured prints are generally set on a light coloured ground, often pale blue, which is then covered with a specific yellowish varnish called 'sandracca'. The interest of the 'sandracca' is to simulate the shiny and glossy surface of the oriental lacquer while attenuating the contrast of the glued printed vignettes. With time, the multiple layers of 'sandracca' turn slightly darker and create an intricate network of fine craquelure which can be seen under close examination. The coloured vignettes combined with a pale shiny ground and giltwood mouldings gives a tremendously rich visual scheme.
The inspiration for 'lacca povera' originated from the intense commercial exchanges that Venice entertained with the Orient throughout the 17th and 18th centuries, with every type of lacquered goods being imported from both Japan and China. Venice was one of the first cities in Europe to produce imitations of oriental lacquer in order to produce a more affordable version of the rare, precious and extremely expensive oriental lacquer. The demand was such, that the Venetian 'laccatori' soon perfected the technique of japanning by inserting to the decorative scheme these paper vignettes which were glued on to the painted wooden surface. This technique proved more time and cost effective than the traditional lacquer work performed in other European centres such as Paris.
Bureau cabinets such as this example rank amongst the most spectacular examples by Venetian cabinet-makers. Despite the minor refreshments to the decoration, the lacca povera has remained intact and well preserved thanks to the protective yellowish 'sandracca' varnish. Interestingly, this bureau cabinet is presented with panelled doors fully decorated with 'lacca povera' whilst others feature glazed doors.
A related example include a bureau cabinet sold from the collection of Eva, Countess of Rosebery, sold Sotheby's London, 30 November 1990, lot 94 (£159,500); a lacca povera fall-front bureau from the Galletto collection, sold Christie's House sale, Proptietà Galletto, Genoa, 19 June 2000, lot 45. Other good examples are conserved in museums, such as a related bureau cabinet in the Museo Civico, Milan (illustrated in S. Colombo, L'Arte del Legno e del Mobile in Italia, Milan, 1981, fig. 407).
The printed decoration, depicting a variety of scenes from extravagant foliate and floral scrolls, rocaille motifs, pastoral scenes in the Watteau manner, to chinoiserie scenes and variously dressed figures create fabulous visual impact. These coloured prints are generally set on a light coloured ground, often pale blue, which is then covered with a specific yellowish varnish called 'sandracca'. The interest of the 'sandracca' is to simulate the shiny and glossy surface of the oriental lacquer while attenuating the contrast of the glued printed vignettes. With time, the multiple layers of 'sandracca' turn slightly darker and create an intricate network of fine craquelure which can be seen under close examination. The coloured vignettes combined with a pale shiny ground and giltwood mouldings gives a tremendously rich visual scheme.
The inspiration for 'lacca povera' originated from the intense commercial exchanges that Venice entertained with the Orient throughout the 17th and 18th centuries, with every type of lacquered goods being imported from both Japan and China. Venice was one of the first cities in Europe to produce imitations of oriental lacquer in order to produce a more affordable version of the rare, precious and extremely expensive oriental lacquer. The demand was such, that the Venetian 'laccatori' soon perfected the technique of japanning by inserting to the decorative scheme these paper vignettes which were glued on to the painted wooden surface. This technique proved more time and cost effective than the traditional lacquer work performed in other European centres such as Paris.
Bureau cabinets such as this example rank amongst the most spectacular examples by Venetian cabinet-makers. Despite the minor refreshments to the decoration, the lacca povera has remained intact and well preserved thanks to the protective yellowish 'sandracca' varnish. Interestingly, this bureau cabinet is presented with panelled doors fully decorated with 'lacca povera' whilst others feature glazed doors.
A related example include a bureau cabinet sold from the collection of Eva, Countess of Rosebery, sold Sotheby's London, 30 November 1990, lot 94 (£159,500); a lacca povera fall-front bureau from the Galletto collection, sold Christie's House sale, Proptietà Galletto, Genoa, 19 June 2000, lot 45. Other good examples are conserved in museums, such as a related bureau cabinet in the Museo Civico, Milan (illustrated in S. Colombo, L'Arte del Legno e del Mobile in Italia, Milan, 1981, fig. 407).