Desk
Valentini Workshop
c. 1760–65
Medium
Wood, walnut and pine, bronze mounts
Dimensions
121.3 × 132.1 × 48.3 cm (47 3/4 × 52 × 19 in.)
Classification
desk
Department
Applied Arts of Europe
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
60561
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
The top portion of this desk drops down to create a writing surface, revealing a suite of discreet drawers. Its bulbous shape (bombé in French) is characteristic of continental European furniture from the mid-1700s. Northern Italian designers developed a distinct style, called Barocchetto, inspired by marble church altars. Craftspeople expertly arranged the burl-walnut veneers in this example to mimic marbling, while raised molding unifies the drawers, enhancing the visual harmony.