Cabinet; Italy, XVII and XIX century.

Cabinet; Italy, XVII and XIX century.
Ebonized wood, bone, coral and bronze applications.
Presents modifications made in the 19th century.
Measurements: 56 x 42 x 31 cm.
This Italian cabinet, whose current configuration is the result of an evolutionary process between the 17th and 19th centuries, is an eloquent example of the characteristic taste of late Baroque cabinetmaking, reinterpreted under later sensibilities. Made of ebonized wood, the piece of furniture reveals from the first glance an aesthetic intention linked to the restrained luxury and theatricality typical of the studioli and cabinets of curiosities of modern Italy.
The architectural structure of the front, organized in a grid of small drawers framing a central niche, responds to a model widely used in Italian workshops since the seventeenth century. The central aedicule, with its classical pediment, introduces an architectural language that refers to Renaissance humanism, while the small sculptural figure inside adds a narrative and devotional dimension, intensifying the scenographic character of the whole, and the materials used, bone, coral and gilded bronze applications, underline the preciousness of the cabinet. The use of coral, particularly associated with Neapolitan and Sicilian workshops, suggests a connection with Mediterranean routes and a taste for the organic and the singular.
The modifications made in the 19th century should be understood in the context of historicism and the renewed interest in the decorative arts of the past. During this period, it was common to adapt, restore or even reinterpret old pieces to suit new uses or aesthetic sensibilities, often intensifying their "antique" or exotic character.