Venezia Yellow Lacquered Carved Wooden Fireplace Bellows with Flowers, 1750

Description

This is a rare fireplace bellows in carved and lacquered wood with polychrome decorations of flowers on a yellow background. … more This is a rare fireplace bellows in carved and lacquered wood with polychrome decorations of flowers on a yellow background. It has original leather details and the bronze spout. This elegant piece hails from the Mid-18th Century, Venezia. The curved shape, on the front and on the sides, moreover the exquisite floral decoration and the bright lacquer colors, are the result of the high level craftemanships of the Venetian master cabinetery. One of the distinctive characteristics of Venetian Baroque and Rococo furniture and decorative objects, is the skilful use of lacquers. Lacquer is a natural resin that was very rare in the past, imported from the East and used to create smooth and colored surfaces on furniture, ready to be finely decorated with refined floral designs or exotic animals. Venetian artisans became masters in lacquer processing which required time and patience because it was made with many steps. The Venetian style deeply influenced furniture design throughout Europe, but none reached the Venetian level in terms of beauty. The skillful use of lacquer and carvings defined Venice's unique style during the Rococo period, its Golden Age. less