Umbertino Secretaire With Dante Alighieri Bust Walnut Ebony Italy 1800

Code: ANMORI0097141

not available
Umbertino Secretaire With Dante Alighieri Bust Walnut Ebony Italy 1800

Code: ANMORI0097141

not available

Umbertino Secretaire With Dante Alighieri Bust Walnut Ebony Italy 1800

Features

Style:  Umbertino (1870-1900)

Age:  19th Century / 1801 - 1900

Origin:  Italy

Main essence:  Maple ,  Ebony ,  Walnut

Description

Umbertino secretaire supported by carved feet, like the uprights that frame the front where, starting from the bottom, there are three drawers, the last one presents a writing desk and many compartments, one of which with an inkwell. The three upper drawers hide a flap door, which conceals an architectural cabinet, that emulates the front of a building, with columns and two niches with bronze sculptures that frame a central door, above which there is the inscription "INDULGENT PLENR QUOTI PERPET "; there are numerous secrets. In the upper part, there is another drawer whose keyhole is carved as a grotesque mask; the broken tympanum that crowns the cabinet has a carved bust of Dante Alighieri in the middle. Walnut, burr walnut veneer with ebony framing, the interiors of the compartment are maple.

Product Condition:
Fair condition. Wear consistent with age and use. Any damage or loss is displayed as completely as possible in the pictures. Product with a Certificate of Authenticity and Lawful Origin.

Dimensions (cm):
Height: 222
Width: 120
Depth: 58,5

Additional Information

Style: Umbertino (1870-1900)

The name of this style is due to the ruler of the time Umberto I appointed King of the Kingdom of Italy on January 9, 1878 and assassinated on July 9, 1900.

The Umbertino style is typically Italian and belongs to that Eclectic period that characterized the second half of the 19th century, which lasted just under twenty years. The Umbertino style spread around 1880 and ended around 1895 when a new style called Liberty and universally known as Art-Nouveau took over, followed by Art-Decò.

In this style, predominantly eclectic and monumental, Gothic and Baroque elements originally belonging to the Renaissance but also adorned with large masks, frames and decorations were re-proposed in furniture, from the bedside table to the large wardrobe or sideboard.

Find out more about the Umbertino style with our insights:
An Umbertine secretaire dedicated to Dante Alighieri
A comparison between a Louis Philippe console and an Umbertina

INSERT ADDITIONAL LINKS:
The Austrian taste of Baroque
A guide to Art Nouveau
Discovering Art Deco

Age: 19th Century / 1801 - 1900

19th Century / 1801 - 1900

Main essence:

Maple

Hard, light wood used for inlays. It grows mainly in Austria, but it is widespread throughout the northern hemisphere, from Japan to North America, passing through China and Europe. It is one of the lightest woods ever, tending to white, it is similar to lime or birch wood. The briar is used in the production of ancient secretaires .

Ebony

Without any doubt it is one of the most precious and appreciated essences ever. Very hard and resistant, it is pleasant to the touch thanks to its smoothness, it is a wood with a typical black color. Being very rare it was traded as a precious metal and frequently forged. Because of its hardness, it is very difficult to work, which is why the term cabinetmaker, which indicates the very skilled craftsman in fine carpentry works, derives from this very essence. In modern times, it was introduced by the Flemings and Germans and immediately enjoyed success with the French. The golden period for Ebony was the Baroque, especially in the Boulle style workings. In general it is widely used in inlays, but also for furniture upholstery, for contrasting effects alongside brass, bronze and tortoiseshell.

Walnut

Walnut wood comes from the plant whose botanical name is juglans regia , probably originally from the East but very common in Europe. Light or dark brown in color, it is a hard wood with a beautiful grain, widely used in antique furniture. It was the main essence in Italy throughout the Renaissance and later had a good diffusion in Europe, especially in England, until the advent of mahogany. It was used for solid wood furniture and sometimes carvings and inlays, its only big limitation is that it suffers a lot from woodworm. In France it was widely used more than anything else in the provinces. In the second half of the eighteenth century its use decreased significantly because mahogany and other exotic woods were preferred.
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