Italian, Piedmont
Settee, late 18th century
Painted walnut, cane, 108.6 x 157.8 x 61.6 cm (42 3/4 x 62 1/8 x 24 1/4 in.)
Cane and walnut settee that is painted blue. The back, armrests, and seat of the sette are all made up of canework. The canework is blue and the wood is cream colored with blue detailing. The back of the settee is oval shaped and the armrests have volute ends. The legs are circular in cross-section, are tapered and fluted, and rest on cylindrical feet. There are square tablets on the railing above the legs and there are three botanical motifs in relief on the front rail of the settee.
Macknight Room
Commentary
This settee is part of a suite of caned furniture that is typical of Piedmontese taste at the end of the eighteenth century, when French influence was at its peak. The pieces are made of carved walnut, which has been painted. The oval form in the back of the settee is repeated in the accompanying chairs. The legs, circular in cross-section, are tapered and fluted, and rest on cylindrical feet. The armrests have volute ends. It is likely that the square tablets above the legs, on the rail, were originally decorated with flower petals.
The settee has been repainted; however, the original color scheme of a cream background with blue highlights and caning can be glimpsed where the more recent paint has flaked off. Cross-sections show that the original cream and blue paint were coated with a relatively thick layer of natural resin varnish, as is typical in japanning—the European imitation Asian lacquerware.
This piece of furniture was originally in the Blue Room with the other members of this set when the museum opened in 1903, although Isabella moved it to the Macknight Room in 1915.
The settee has been repainted; however, the original color scheme of a cream background with blue highlights and caning can be glimpsed where the more recent paint has flaked off. Cross-sections show that the original cream and blue paint were coated with a relatively thick layer of natural resin varnish, as is typical in japanning—the European imitation Asian lacquerware.
This piece of furniture was originally in the Blue Room with the other members of this set when the museum opened in 1903, although Isabella moved it to the Macknight Room in 1915.