Pharmacy sideboard. Baroque, XVIII century.

Pharmacy sideboard. Baroque, XVIII century.
Hand painted pine wood.
Drawers in the back.
It shows marks of use and wear; lack of polychrome.
On wooden base lined with green felt (20th century).
Measurements: 85 x 212 x 55 cm (furniture); 20 x 225 x 61 cm (stand).

We are in front of a collection piece, singular and unique in its kind, a sideboard or pharmacy counter of baroque epoch made of pine wood painted by hand. On the sides are represented, respectively, two male characters performing master formulas using a mortar and a glass still. On the front, a bucolic and wild landscape is developed with a hunting scene, a castle in the distance and a fountain in the foreground, with a young woman accompanied by a servant sitting next to her. These motifs (the hunter, the fountain) may allude in a biased way to the pharmacist's trade. Hunters, spending much time in nature, often acquired a thorough knowledge of the plants and herbs growing in their environment, including those with medicinal properties. This knowledge was essential for the preparation of remedies. Pharmacists and physicians of ancient times often relied on this local knowledge to formulate medicines. As for water sources, they were not only essential for life and the preparation of remedies, but also played a role in the growth of plants used in pharmacology.

On the back of the counter, the cabinet has three small drawers or drawers with button pulls, decorated with borders and floral designs.