Screen. Italy or England, ca. 1860.

Screen. Italy or England, ca. 1860.
In fir wood, embossed leather and gilt bronze.
Measurements: 232 x 65 cm (each leaf); 232 x 260 cm (open).

Rare and exceptional quality folding screen. It consists of four leaves in fir wood, covered with embossed leather on the front and back. The camel-colored leather has an extremely refined and complex embossing. Its decorations seem to be inspired by ancient Roman grotesques, in which plant motifs intertwine with fantastic creatures such as chimeras, dragons, griffins and fauns. Here, the elaborate embossing develops such fantastic motifs, to which are added representations of art muses, also of Greco-Roman inspiration, housed in oval ornaments. Applications in gilded bronze in the form of grooved frames compartmentalize the soffits. Circles and diamonds in bronze decorate the lower part of the four leaves, which rise on low feet. In some soffits, however, arabesques and abstract motifs of Arabic inspiration predominate, adding complexity and historicist richness to the piece. A true museum piece.