1750 Venezia Italy Blue And Green Lacquered Wooden Engraved Commode With Flowers

There are a few pieces that can be called rare and extraordinary and this piece it can be. This is one-of-a-kind and unobtainable commode coming out from an Italian gentleman private collection. Rare and important for its Venetian lacquered finish, with fine and sophisticated drawings.
This lacquered commode has exquisite Chinese and polychrome floral decoration on a light blue background. The top is liftable and under it there is a thin secret compartment, visible in the photos. The top is lacquered to imitate the marble. Provenance from the Conti Pignatti of Morano of Custoza family. Made in pine wood, with engraved and gilded edges with the "mecca technique". The noble Pignatti Morano of Custoza family was refined art lovers of the Nineteenth Century; the family were the owners of an important collections of painting, sculptures and furniture, and the example in question was part of that collection.

The waved, curved shape of the material which produces a swollen effect, all crescendos and troughs, respects the fashion of the time and the essential 18th Century logic of the curved lines, here reaching a mature, complete expression, dated around 1750 to 1760.
Engraved gilded lines emphasize the surface of the chest. This rare chest of drawers in lacquer possesses an emphatic curved roundness. The simple profiles, of undoubtedly "rocaille execution" border the lively lines of the two drawers at the front with organic moving forms for the handles and at the same time separate the elegant curvature of the frame, enclosing the decorative construction used to encircle an inscription or design and the natural but exotic scenes on each side.
The highly elegant supports "en cabriole" with "peduccio a cartoccio" combine fluidly with the curved apron.
Finally the novelty of the hinged commode, lacquered in marble style, that artfully conceals a hidden compartment underneath, probabily intended to contain jewelry, documents or correspondance of the original owners. Dazzling multi-colored flower bunches illuminate the subdued timbre of the blue lacquer, interspersing the daring connection of protrusions and depressions, which gives substance to the frame of the chest and the sharp, corresponding incisive pictorial "chinoiserie" variations at the front and sides.
The technique, the synthetic rapidity of pictorial "ductus", the use of highlights to create a sense of softness and malleability and some decorative hallmarks, such as flights of birds just traceable on the horizon, as well as the yield of the vegetation in fast, detailing strokes, suggests the same origin as the, unfortunately anonymous, Venetian workshop that, a short time before, produced the beautiful toiletry case in black lacquer, which is today preserved at the Museum Cà Rezzonico, in Venice, Italy.
Elevate your timeless interiors with this gorgeous commode that gives a sense of quiet luxury.

One of the distinctive characteristics of Venetian Baroque and Rococo furniture is the skilful use of lacquers. Lacquer is a natural resin that was very rare in the past, imported from the East and used to create smooth and colored surfaces on furniture, ready to be finely decorated with refined floral designs or exotic animals.
Venetian artisans became masters in lacquer processing which required time and patience because it was made with many steps.
The Venetian style deeply influenced furniture design throughout Europe, but none reached the Venetian level in terms of beauty. The skillful use of lacquer and carvings defined Venice's unique style during the Rococo period, its Golden Age.

Referring bibliography:
Mille mobili veneti (1999-2002) and Le lacche dei veneziani (2003) by the expert in Venetian lacquer Clara Maccarini Santini Foscolo

The piece is in very good state of maintenance and it is guaranteed original in every parts. The surface was only cleaned not restored and it is original.
The commode has the Certificate of Authenticity and a full documentation relating to the provenance. The provenance is the collection of Count Pignatti Morano of Custoza, Italy.
In case of interest, the documents will be shown on demand.

Condition report:

Good