Bureau George II; England c. 1730.

Bureau George II; England c. 1730.
Lacquered and gilded wood. Bronze appliqués.
Presents faults.
Measurements: 100.5 x 98 x 58 cm.
George III style furniture decorated with applied Japanese lacquer panels. This was common since the end of the XVI century, date from which lacquered panels with figurative decorations of different sizes were imported from China and Japan, often by order, to be later mounted on the furniture in Europe. In fact, in Baroque England, authentically oriental lacquered furniture was the most appreciated, above European cabinetmaking or carved furniture, and in fact it was between the beginning of the 17th century and the entire 18th century when "japanning" was developed, a technique that imitated oriental lacquer and that would continue to be used, with new techniques, even in the 19th century.
The one we present here is a bureau with a desk body with a top and four drawers in the lower part. It has a typically English structure with rounded and solid volumes. The main lines of the structure are highlighted by the golden lines. The lower body is raised on four low cut feet, lowered "bracket" type. It has four continuous drawers, each with its own lock and with the front composed of lacquered panels, and the upper register has two small drawers on the sides. Above the drawers is the writing surface, the upper hinged lid. This lid, at 45º, is also decorated with a large lacquered panel, with similar figurative scenes set in landscapes. The lid is also decorated with lacquer on the inside, and once opened allows access to the desk display, likewise decorated with lacquer panels, which are combined with gold paintings on black. The display follows a symmetrical layout, with shortcuts and drawers of different sizes on both sides,