Early 18th c. tiny venetian chest of drawers with 'Arte Povera' lacquer

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Early 18th c. tiny venetian chest of drawers with 'Arte Povera' lacquer

About the Item

Venice, early 18th c Arte Povera Measures: 22 x 14 x 13 cm A rare and beautiful miniature of chest of drawers from the beginning of the 18th century (Louis XIV Period). It's decorated with elaborate decoupages vignettes on every surface on a blue ground (which has became light green because of the ancient original yellow varnish). The scenes shows different popular characters and animals playing in a bucolic landscape. Some of them are painted, as the red bird which appears in all the scenes. The whole surface is in good condition. The decoupage retains good colour and engraved detail. Since as far back as the late 16th century, lacquered objects from the Far East arrived to Europe. The relative scarcity of lacquered objects combined with the immense demand meant they commanded high prices, a fact that drove European craftsmen to discover the process for themselves or at least a method of imitating it convincingly. From all the Lacquer centres which appeared throughout Europe, Venice became the most significant of all in the beginning of 17th century. The favoured type of varnish in Venice was the 'sandracca', that invented by Father Coronelli (1659-1702), the official cosmographer of the Serenissima. Its main ingredient was sandarac, known for its durability and hardness. Initially, again like elsewhere in Europe, Venetian artisans would imitate Oriental styles and models in an attempt to give their work the exotic appearance that was favoured at the time. However, as the 18th century progressed, Venetian lacquered objects would become less dependent stylistically on imported Far Eastern models and follow more closely the general trend of contemporary European fashion. Arte Povera (also lacca povera or lacca contrafatta), particularly in Venice, developed along-side traditional lacquer as what is initially regarded to have been a cheaper alternative. Surviving examples today, however, are considered equally as rare and as important as conventionally lacquered pieces. The technique was not uncommon elsewhere in Italy and Europe but found particular favour in Venice. The process involves the use of motifs and scenes cut from prints especially prepared for this purpose by firms of printers such as Remondini in nearby Bassano. Once applied to the piece they would be painted and subsequently varnished. The relative ease of the process attracted a number of dilettantes as well as professionals, lacquered objects remaining in vogue throughout the period. It became a fashionable past time for young ladies throughout Europe, particularly in France (here called découpage, from découper- to cut) where it probably became fashionable around 1720. However, despite the universal amateur appeal of Arte Povera, Venice remained the centre of professional production. As mentioned above, the 18th century saw the emancipation of Venetian lacquer-workers from the inherited chinoiserie style. This affected both the nature of the imagery as well as the style of the furniture itself. Arte Povera work is most commonly found on a red ground while examples with a blue ground are extremely rare.

Dimensions:
Height: 14 in (35.56 cm)Width: 22 in (55.88 cm)Depth: 13 in (33.02 cm)
Style:
Louis XIV (Of the Period)
Place of Origin:
Italy
Period:
18th Century and Earlier
Date of Manufacture:
c. 1720
Condition:
Seller Location:
Madrid, ES
Reference Number:
1stDibs: LU104441205338