Late 18th Century Painted Cabinet

A love of small painted wardrobe from the late 18th century, originally from France or Italy. This small piece of furniture to be placed or hung was certainly originally a niche (a sort of tabernacle) to house a religious statue, more precisely, the Virgin Mary. The painted decoration of the doors shows a naive bouquet of ears of wheat and grapes in a golden diamond. These doors are mounted on wrought iron hinges, a brass handle on the right door (a few millimeters offset from the left door). The ear of wheat remains at the origin of many symbols such as prosperity, the fertility of the soul, the fertility of the earth, the Virgin Mary ... while the grape represents in the Christian religion the earthly nature of Christ , his death, his resurrection. The interior has been repainted in a gray-blue color, a removable shelf has been added. Interior dimensions: 22.5 cm X 28.5 cm, height under the shelf: 14.5 cm, height on the shelf: 13 cm. The exterior has its original celestial blue background paint; each side supports a frieze of orange and navy blue interlacing. Molded cornices in gilded wood on three sides in the upper and lower part (chips, wear, lack of visible gilding). General wear to the paint with various chips and losses, this little piece of furniture has been used a lot! (look closely at the photos); However, it reaches us in a condition that I consider to be rather good, considering its age. Lots of charm for this piece of furniture, it is one of my favorites. On the back a brass suspension hook held by three nails. Note: the assembly of the hinges embedded in the wood to become "almost" invisible for the benefit of the decor. Delivery: €10 for metropolitan France.