Italian, Venice
Tray Table, 1750-1799
Painted wood, 45.5 x 47 x 33.5 cm (17 15/16 x 18 1/2 x 13 3/16 in.)
Venetian tray table that is made of hand painted wood. The rectangular top of the tray features a bouquet of flowers, including nine roses shaded pale pink to salmon red, four daisies shaded yellow to burnt orange, and greens in varying shades of moss to ivy. The background is painted shades of cream. The finish has white fillings across it. Surrounding the bouquet is a resplendent rectangular border in the shades of the roses, approximately two inches from each of the sides. The sides of the table are hand painted in a greenish blue with small cream flowers, possibly dogwood, on tan branches. The edges of the tabletop are painted with gold leaf. The condition of this piece reflects its age and wear, with chipped paint on the table's base and bowed legs.
Macknight Room
Commentary
Isabella Stewart Gardner kept meticulous records of many of her acquisitions. In keeping with this legacy, object information is continually being reviewed, updated, and enriched in order to give greater access to the collection.