Small Louis XIII four-door sideboard in walnut – 17ᵗʰ century – Southwest

How do you bring the 17ᵗʰ century into your living room?

By choosing a piece of furniture surprisingly small and which, however, concentrates thanks to the richness of its ornamental repertoire, all the refinement of the Renaissance wave from Italy.

Twisted columns on the front and on the sides. It is the withdrawal of the upper body compared to the lower body that is worth to this sideboard the qualifier of narrowed.
Twisted columns on the front and on the sides. It is the withdrawal of the upper body compared to the lower body that is worth to this sideboard the qualifier of narrowed.
Detail of palmette motifs on the uprights
Detail of palmette motifs on the uprights
In their central part, the door panels are vermiculated.
In their central part, the door panels are vermiculated.
Triple ornamentation of the doors: vermiculures, grammages and gadrooned moldings.
Triple ornamentation of the doors: vermiculures, grammages and gadrooned moldings.
The uprights are enhanced with canopies on which revolving rosettes are carved. Between the two canopies runs a string of palmettes. Above, the stepped cornice is entirely gadrooned.
The uprights are enhanced with canopies on which revolving rosettes are carved. Between the two canopies runs a string of palmettes. Above, the stepped cornice is entirely gadrooned.

The outstanding advantage of this shrunken Louis XIII sideboard lies precisely in its miniature side. It does not exceed 1.53 meter in height, and yet it looks very tall.
We first note the thickness and the beauty of the walnut planks chosen, in the 17ᵗʰ century, by the furniture carpenter who assembled the body of this sideboard, with four doors and two drawers.
Then, we remain in admiration in the face of the debauchery of patterns, revealing of the Renaissance style, implemented by the “maker of images” (faiseur d’image), that is to say the wood sculptor, who is, as we would say nowadays, literally “let go”.

Look carefully :

  • The angles are decorated with twisted columns on the facade continuing on the sides.
  • The uprights adorned with palmettes end in a canopy embellished with revolving rosette motifs.
  • Between the two canopies runs a row of palmettes.
    Above, the stepped cornice is punctuated by gadrooned patterns.
  • The four doors have panels adorned with fine sinuosities called vermiculures.
    Around these panels, a first hollow frame is printed with grammage while a second frame is highlighted with gadroons.
  • The two drawers assembled in a dovetail have been worked with just as many variations.
  • The image maker has pushed his concern for perfection to the point of decorating rave feet, themselves carrying gadroons.
Rave feet also enjoy gadroon movements.
Rave feet also enjoy gadroon movements.
Small Louis XIII four-door sideboard in walnut – 17ᵗʰ century – Southwest – [ME058]
Small Louis XIII four-door sideboard in walnut – 17ᵗʰ century – Southwest – [ME058]

In the end, with its powerful Renaissance charm deployed on its cozy proportions, this shrunken sideboard, a pure Louis XIII jewel, will awaken our interiors of today, including the most contemporary where, by contrast, it will take on all its historical dimension. That of a 17ᵗʰ century enlightened by the birth of modern science thanks to Galileo.

Price: on demand.
Dimensions
Width: 113 cm, height 153 cm, depth 43 cm.
Reference: [ME058]

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