Empire-style side table. Mid-20th century

Empire-style side table, ca. 1950.
Mahogany veneer and gilded wood.
In good overall condition.
Measurements: 57 × 58 × 58 cm.

Provenance: Estate of Ramon Martí Alsina and Ricard Martí Aguiló.
Artistic and heritage collection originating in the legacy of Catalan painters Ramon Martí Alsina (1826–1894), a seminal figure of 19th-century Catalan Realism, and his son Ricard Martí Aguiló (1857–1935).

Passed down and enriched across successive generations, the collection brings together works from the original holdings of both artists alongside acquisitions made by their descendants. Dedicated to preserving and recovering the family legacy, the descendants actively reacquired works by the painters as they entered the market, progressively expanding the collection to encompass paintings, sculptures, archaeological artifacts, and other items of artistic and historical significance.
With its modest proportions and striking symmetry, this side table reflects the neoclassical taste popularized by the French Empire style during the 19th century. Its design focuses attention on the elegance of the silhouette and the contrast between the warm tone of the mahogany and the gilded details, which add an ornamental accent without detracting from the overall sobriety of the piece.

The structure, featuring a central support and a tripartite base, draws on the classical repertoire revived in the furniture of that period, while the gilded motifs on the belt and the base of the shaft reinforce its representative character. The balance between ornamentation and structural clarity is one of the most recognizable features of this decorative style.