Desk on buffet. Italy or Naples, c. 1700

Writing desk over buffet; Italy or Naples, c. 1700
Ebonized wood, tortoiseshell veneer, bronze mounts, mirrors and painting on board and canvas.
Measurements: 215 x 160 x 48 cm.

This desk on buffet has the same model as the Neapolitan baroque cabinets of the XVII-XVIII centuries. It has an architectural structure and decoration of inlaid tortoiseshell simile combined with gilded bronze applications. It is a very widespread model in Europe in the 17th century, especially in Italy, but originated in Holland. The decoration is concentrated on the front, and on the sides it is reduced to geometric carvings and handles. The desk is divided into three sections, the central one slightly forward, with a baroque façade structure, stands out in this case because it has a painting on panel in which is represented the figure of the Virgin and Child, being crowned by angels. The lateral streets house four equal drawers, with the front decorated with rectangular recesses. The bronze locks are decorated with plant buds. The central street is the main protagonist, as is usual in the baroque bargueño, and its structure shows the influence of the architecture of the time. The piece of furniture is topped by a runner. The bargueño rises on an arched base with turned legs.

This Italian model was especially valued throughout Europe during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, serving as inspiration for other countries to create their own examples. The Italians were always considered to have the best aesthetic, technical and material quality.