Empire Style Cupboard, Walnut, Italy 20th Century

Empire Style Cupboard, Walnut, Italy 20th Century

Features

Style: Empire Revival

Age: 20th Century / 1901 - 2000

Origin: Toscana, Italy

Main essence: Mahogany

Material: Mahogany Feather Banded Veneer

Description

Piece of furniture made reusing an old empire style cupboard. The mahogany feather chest of drawers had been modified for its reuse: two drawers had been added to the two frontal doors. Also the top couter had been added. On the two doors there are gilded bronze medallions representings puttis; the front side is embellished with two lateral columns that work as pillars and with frontal feet made up of folds surmounted by gilded leafy columns. This type of decoration and the leafy embellishement of the capitals let us locate this piece of furnitre in Tuscan area.

Product Condition:
Product in good conditions, shows some signs of wear.

Maximum size (cm):
Height: 117
Width: 131,5
Depth: 40,5

Additional Information

Style: Empire Revival

Ripresa stilistica, del 900, delle forme proprie dello stile Impero (1804-1815)

Age: 20th Century / 1901 - 2000

20th Century / 1901 - 2000

Main essence: Mahogany

It is one of the most precious and sought-after woods in cabinet making. It was discovered in Central America around 1600 and began to be imported to England in the 1700s. Much appreciated for its hardness and indestructibility, it became widespread following the blocking of walnut exports from France in 1720 and the consequent elimination of English import duties on mahogany from the colonies in America and India. The most valuable version comes from Cuba, but it became very expensive. At the end of the 18th century it began to be used also in France in Louis XVI, Directory and Empire furniture, its diffusion declined starting from when Napoleon, in 1810, forbade its import. It was generally used in the manufacture of elegant furniture, due to its characteristics and beautiful grain.