Neoclassical half-moon commode, Piedmont, late 18th century

Neoclassical half-moon commode, Piedmont, late 18th century Dimensions: cm H 91.5 x W 127.5 x D 59.5 Private negotiation Object accompanied by our certificate of authenticity This elegant inlaid wooden commode, representative of the neoclassical style, was made in Piedmont towards the end of the 18th century. Stylistically, it is attributable to the workshop of two well-known Piedmontese cabinetmakers: Ignazio Ravelli (1756-1836) and his son Luigi (1776-1858), active in Vercelli between the second half of the eighteenth century and the beginning of the next century. Half-moon shaped, it has a Grigio Bardiglio marble top. The structure of the commode, i.e., the uprights, the bands that separate the drawers, the legs and the inside of the drawers themselves are in solid walnut wood, while the sides and the front of the drawers are veneered and inlaid in walnut and boxwood. The front is divided into three drawers: the upper and lower ones, smaller, are decorated with inlays that create thin frames and a fine beaded garland that joins circular gilded metal applications. The keyholes are also circular and in chiselled and gilded bronze. The middle drawer, taller and divided internally into three compartments, shows a veneer that, thanks to the exploitation of the wood grain, creates a decorative arrow pattern, enlivening its overall image. In the center, inscribed within a frame inlaid with geometric motifs, is depicted, through inlays, a seascape, with boats, houses and a rocky coastline made in different burrs. The preference for inlays with imaginative architectural views, such as capriccios of ruins and landscapes, inspired by the engravings of Giambattista Piranesi, Ferdinando Galli di Bibbiena and Vincenzo Mazzi, is common in Ignazio Ravelli's work. The sides of the demi lune, veneered and inlaid, follow the decorative design of the front, with upper and lower panels decorated with the beaded garland and a central circular element inlaid in the shape of a flower. However, the sides have a single door on each side, with a rear hinge, each closing a compartment with a shelf. The keyholes are in chiselled and gilded bronze. The locks of the furniture are all original. The refined chest of drawers is very decorative thanks to the use of wood essences of different colors which, through the inlays, create a very elegant and pleasant chromatic game. Easily placed in different environments, thanks to the half-moon shape that makes it graceful. It can be presented in a study, a living room and a bedroom, but also in an entrance or in a corridor, both next to antique and modern furniture.