18th Century Furniture - Italy (part 2)

New Forms
Italian chairs were often inspired by the French fauteuil, but had higher, fan-shaped backs, which were ornately carved and often gilded. Unpainted handmade furniture was usually made of walnut, but fruitwoods were also common.
Side chairs, in the English style, had pierced splats with a central carved and pierced cartouche, and restrained cabriole legs. Some had flat stretchers . These chairs were often upholstered over the seat rail, rather than having slip-in seats. Caned examples also existed and more vernacular versions had rush seats.
Sofas, stools, and daybeds followed French fashion, although long settee's with joined chair backs looked more like English examples. These settee's were designed for specific reception rooms, such as the ballroom or the long rooms that run from the front to the back of a palazzo.

A mid 18th century George III walnut veneered bureau

The bureau has four pine lined drawers that have their original brass handles. The bureau drawer, of this non fitted furniture piece, fronts and flap are cross banded and have a herring bone inlay, the bracket feet have a good thumb mould were they meet the bureau.

The interior has six pigeon holes and a centre door, the door and side panels all pull forward as one piece and have two secret panels that pull out from the back.

Most tables had attenuated, curved legs, Console and side tables were still heavily carved and gilded. The marble tops were inserted or framed rather than resting on top of the table. Tables were now made for specific rooms - the trespoli, for example, was for use in a bedroom where it would support a dressing mirror. Gueridons, small tables often made in pairs, were popular and tendedto have a single, rounded, carved support above a tripod base. Larger tables had carved stretchers, often with a cartouche or decoration at the junction in the middle.

Writing tables had been used since the 16th century, but new forms now appeared. The bureau, or bureau-cabinet, became fairly common. The sides of a bureau were often squared and the central section serpentine in shape.

Bureaux were veneered in complex geometric shapes, generally of walnut, or tulipwood in Genoa, or decorated with lacquer or paint.

The credenza, or cupboard, was made of fruitwood and had elongated bracket feet that extended from the front of the piece around to the side.

The bureau-bookcase, now common in reproduction furniture, inspired by English versions, often had an exaggerated crest on top. The lower case had serpentine drawers, squared at the ends, and short bracket feet. Bureau-bookcases were usually made of walnut veneers, or were lacquered , gilded, and painted.

The French style commode was also popular, though Italian versions often had shorter legs. While they rarely had gilt-bronze mounts, they were generally lacquered, and adorned with intricate veneer and paint.