An Italian polychrome and blue lacquered, parcel-gilt and 'a merletto' decorated carved bureau, Venetian mid 18th century

of bombé serpentine form, the upper section with a superstructure with two inward curved sliding panels revealing a recess above a writing surface and slide, with a pull-out slide on either side, above two long drawers with rocaille carved handles on cabriole legs terminating in scrolled feet, with reserves of raised panels carved with scrolls and rocaille and decorated with sprays of flowers, ribbons, birds, dragonflies and `a merletto’ (lace) work, on a dark blue ground

This bureau has been professionally cleaned by Laboratorio D'Antonio, Turin.

Italian Private Collection

In overall good conserved condition. Good colour match with the catalogue photograph. The quality of the lacquer work is superb with exceptional detail. The decoration is beautifully executed. The top of the candle-slides have been repainted. Old marks, chips and scratches commensurate with age and use. There are some losses to the decoration along the rear edges which can easily be touched up. The gilding is worn in places and would benefit from some minor attention. There are vertical and horizontal construction cracks as visible from the photograph which can easily be filled. There is a very minor loss to a section of wood and decoration beneath the central cartouche on the internal curved section as visible from the catalogue photograph. There is a replacement scroll on the right side of the upper section when facing which is lacking its decoration and would benefit from being relacquered. On the bottom right side there is a variation in the blue lacquer colour on the cartouche which would benefit from some attention to match the rest. The internal lockplates are missing. On the bottom drawer the lockplate has a later wooden piece attached and the metal lockplate is off but present. Part of carcass behind the drawers has been painted green. This piece has been professionally cleaned by one of the best Italian restorers specialising in lacquer-Laboratorio D'Antonio, Turin.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Comparative Literature:
G. Morazzoni, Il Mobile Veneziano del '700, Gorlich, Milan, 1958, Tav. CCCXXXI, and CCCXXXIII and CDXXVII.
Saul Levy, Lacche Veneziane Settecentesche, Vol. I, Milan, 1967.
Annalisa Scarpa, Michelangelo Lupo, Fascino del Bello, Opere d'artedalla Collezione Terruzzi, Rome, 2007, p. 292, V.15.  

This extremely rare and to date unique bureau, of highly unusual exaggeratedly bombé serpentine form with a pyramidical shaped superstructure, is beautifully decorated in polychrome lacquer with sprays of flowers, ribbons, birds, dragonflies  and `a merletto’ (lace) work, on a dark blue ground which is rarely found. It also has carved elements depicting flowers and foliage. This bureau represents a new discovery in the field of Venetian lacquer furniture dating from the mid 18th century.

The `a merletto' decoration in imitation of Venetian lacework is extremely rare. It can  be found on a lacquered cupboard illustrated by Morazzoni, op. cit., Tav. CCCXXXI (Milan Private Collection), and reproduced here in fig .1. It can also be found on a set of six mid 18th century Venetian lacquered armchairs, sold in these Rooms, the Splendour of Venice, 6th July 2010, lot 117 (£140,000), together with a sofa en suite (lot 118). The parcel-gilding on the mouldings are considered to be in imitation of the gilt-bronze mounts on French commodes.

Although, the form of this bureau appears to be unrecorded to date, it is worthwhile comparing a polychrome lacquered bureau with drawers below, although less impressive and more restrained in form and decoration than the offered example, with what appears to be a fall-front and a pyramid type superstructure, illustrated by Morazzoni, op. cit., Tav. CDXXVII, reproduced here in fig. 2 (formerly in the Giuseppe Gatti-Casazza, Collection).

One should also compare a lacquered cupboard carved in a similar  fashion with bold scrolls and of similar exaggerated bombé and serpentine form, with cartoons after Fontebasso, (formerly in the Tullio Silva Collection), now in the Terruzzi Collection, Turin, illustrated by Morazzoni, op. cit., Tav. CCCXXXIII, and Scarpa and Lupo, op. cit., p. 292, V15, reproduced here in fig. 3.

Venice and lacquerware:
Since the 16^th century, lacquerware inspired by Oriental models has been produced in Venice and was first recorded by Maximilian Mission, a Huguenot traveller, who visited the city in 1688 and noted that there was a lively business in lacquerware at all prices. The taste for lacquered furniture reached its zenith in the 18^th century with Venice being pre-eminent in its production. The cosmopolitan Venetian Republic rivalled Paris at that time, as the capital of taste, fashion and every kind of luxury. This 18th century dolce vita attitude permeated all aspects of the social and cultural life of Venice's alla moda. Aristocrats from all over the continent descended on the city during their Grand Tour and for the Carnival; the ensuing exposure of Venetian laquerware to fashionable society resulted in a surge in the demand for these pieces throughout Europe. The growth and popularity of the Venetian lacquer trade must be placed in the context of life for the Venetian aristocracy during this period and furniture conceived in the lagoon probably represents more than any other furniture produced elsewhere in Italy the embodiment of the true rococo style. Small richly decorated rooms known as casini were maintained by Noble families in Venice filled with commodes, guéridons and console tables and chairs where after official functions during the Carnival or other festive events they met their friends for conversazione.

The Venetian depentore were at the peak of their powers towards the middle of the 18^th century when whole rooms would be furnished in lacquer displaying their superlative virtuosity. An example of such a room is in the striking and elegant interior of the grand Salon of Palazzo Ca' Rezzonico, now the Museum of Decorative Arts in Venice. Many of the models for Venetian furniture were English or Dutch. Venetians wholeheartedly embraced the French rococo and added a new dimension making the bombé commode even more exaggeratedly swollen and this almost `outré bombé' look was a universally accepted trademark of Venice. The decoration of Venetian lacquered furniture at the beginning of the 18^th century was often in red or black and closely followed the Far Eastern models. Later the depentore developed a style more homogeneous to Venice with pale monochrome colours such as ivory, blue, green and pink within carved gilded borders.

The decoration was a riot of fantasy and imagination with flowers, exotic birds, arcadian scenes and oriental gardens featuring small fantastical figures dressed alle cinese or all’indiana who could have well stepped out of the Carnival parties. The obsession with fantasy and all things being not quite what they seemed was also reflected in the passion for trompe l’oeil decoration. This was transferred on to lacquer furniture by way of carved flowers and foliage set off amidst painted versions and faux marble tops. The decoration of the lacquer was never identical and it was not uncommon for there to be several pieces in one room decorated with different motifs. This is where the Venetian depentore diverged from their European counterparts as the latter would faithfully and literally imitate the oriental original. The Venetians loosely adapted the style of Far Eastern models but added their own imitable twist which was without parallel in Europe.

The lacquer technique :
This was laborious and involved sanding down the wooden carcass, then applying a thin layer of gesso mixed with glue was then added in preparation of the ground. After the background colour and details were painted up to twenty layers of varnish (sandracca a mixture of resins and spirit, the same as that used on a gondola) were carefully applied to avoid brush strokes being evident.