Art Institute of Chicago

Bureau

Probably Fratelli Valentini Workshop (about 1760–70)

Date

c. 1760–65

Medium

Walnut, ebonized walnut, pine, and brass

Culture

Milan

Department

Applied Arts of Europe

Institution

Art Institute of Chicago

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.

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