Chimeric dessoir

This imposing walnut carved cupboard sideboard is a tour de force of artistic invention and technical mastery. Close to Tuscan Neo-Renaissance production of the second half of the 19th century, this exceptional piece brilliantly blends Renaissance vocabulary with diabolical iconography. Resting on five feet, the four-sided base develops a moulded plinth and features three tall anthropomorphic supports holding the main body. The back panel is adorned with low-relief rosettes. Two rows of four richly carved drawers are stacked. The second level, slightly recessed, serves as the base for the juxtaposed doors, separated by a female sculpture in a niche. The lateral uprights are also decorated: target motifs, iron handles, chimeras, and female corner figures. This fantastical sideboard is topped with a frieze representing scenes from the Old Testament. An antique-style cornice crowns the ensemble.
Two monsters are depicted on the panels: the first in the centre of the rose window, the second in its lower centre. They can be compared to the figure depicted on the capital of the monumental walnut bench created by Giovanni Sammicheli between 1895 and 1897, or to the one adorning the lower edge of Egisto Gajani's frame, sculpted in Florence in 1871. In the centre of the upper part of the dresser, a monstrous head with snakes for moustaches has similar features. The infernal circle of rosettes described by highly individualised faces culminates at the top in a two-faced mouth of hell ready to devour tormented souls. In keeping with the tradition of Gothic sculptors, the artist illustrates the threat of eternal damnation that hangs over all men, regardless of their rank or wealth.