Italian Povincial Cupboard "Armadio"

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Italian Povincial Cupboard "Armadio"

A tall Italian provincial walnut cupboard, with a projecting moulded cornice above a dentil frieze and two drawers. The pair of panelled doors is decorated with geometric diamond motifs and fitted with iron hardware. The cupboard stands on four shaped feet.

Its restrained carving and practical arrangement are characteristic of provincial domestic furniture rather than the more elaborate cabinetry produced for courtly interiors.

Attributed to northern or central Italy, possibly Tuscany, Emilia-Romagna or Lombardy, the diamond-panel decoration is found on documented Tuscan and northern Italian furniture.

Late 17th to early 18th century, circa 1680–1730. Its design retains elements of the Renaissance decorative vocabulary, which continued to be used by provincial Italian workshops long after the Renaissance period.

The walnut displays a convincing aged patina, with extensive wear and evidence of old insect activity consistent with its age.