Italian cabinet in scagliola, tortoise shell and ebony, 17th century

Compelling cabinet in scagliola with an architectural structure in veneered ebony, standing on legs composed of four legs in turned wood with a decor of spheres and an apron adorned with a scagliola plate in marble imitation framed by a gilt wood Dutch moulding.

The cabinet stands on a moulded and engraved base, opening by two door leaves adorned with engraved motifs such as spandrels with acanthus leaves and flowers motifs framing two moulded panels with a decor of flowers in vases. The back of door leaves are also in scagliola with flowery vases framed by a false tortoise shell moulding, adorned with spandrels and chiselled, openwork and gilt bronze plates.

Door leaves uncovered the cabinet inside that opens with eight drawers and a central door leaf adorned with scagliola panels with a decor of flowery and foliage branches. All is again framed by a false tortoise shell moulding and decorated with chiselled, openwork and gilt bronze handles.

Two Corinthian columns in false jasper, framing a niche adorned with a sculpted shell and topped by two baluster vases in false tortoise shell, flank on each side the central door leaf. It uncovers an inside with 24 small drawers entirely covered with an old marbling paper.

The entablature is made of a unique drawer decorated by four false drawers. The cabinet top opens by a moulded and engraved flap.

All ebony parts are decorated with engraved motifs of foliage and flowers framed by geometrical friezes.

Work realized in the 17^th century, stand in blackened wood from the 19^th century.

Dimensions : H 157 x W 116 x D 49 cm.

Reference : LS29427001

This cabinet was realized in scagliola, also called marble stucco, a technique of inlay imitating marble and pietra dura marquetry with selenite and pigments base. This technique was created at the beginning of the Seicento in Italy and became trendy because it was an effective substitute for the pietra dura marquetry, very fashionable in Florence, but much expensive.

The cabinet was a furniture replacing the typical two bodies sculpted buffets of the 16^th century. It became in the 17^th century a pageantry furniture highly appreciated by the greatest sponsors of this period, such as Marie de Medici or the Cardinal Mazarin, that had a collection of more than 20 pieces.

Initially linked to the taste for medals and coins collections of the Renaissance period, the cabinet became itself a object that can be admired thanks to its panels decorated with paintings, precious woods marquetry, ivory, Boulle marquetry, pietra dura, scagliola, etc.

The history of cabinet is complex and the manufacture was developed in many countries, notably Germany, Holland, Italy, England and France. With the creation of Oriental Indies Companies, occidental models were also built in lacquer panels and then exported in Europe.

The cabinet had success until the 19^th century, period when exceptional pieces were still manufactured.