Salamanca desk "de columnillas" on taquillón. Castile, 19th century

Salamanca desk "de columnillas" on taquillón. Castile, 19th century.
Walnut and pine structure. Painted and gilded bone board diamonds.
With key.
Measurements: 67 x 110 x 40 cm (writing desk); 94,5 x 109 x 41 cm (small box office).

Bargueño of Salamanca model, also called of small columns, with uncovered front. This type of Salamanca desk is typically Spanish, and is characterized by the great richness of the interior, with a decoration based on columns, turned and gilded, as we see here. The most usual in this model is that the sample presents drawers with fronts following different models, which are mixed as evidenced by this bargueño. The sample is organized in several registers, as usual, although the central chapel that usually appears is replaced by differentiated drawers. Many drawers are embellished with serlianas (segmental arches flanked by two smaller semicircular arches), typical of Spanish furniture not only in the Baroque period, but also in Mannerism. As is usual in the Salamanca desk, the columns are made of turned bone, and under the serlianas we see applications of bone plates forming geometric patterns. This architectural scheme, typical of the small column desk, is repeated in the upper register, although with variations in the design. The entire piece of furniture is elevated over a compact pedestal divided into four panels decorated with rhomboidal moldings, separated by panels with geometric moldings.