Northern Italy, 17th Century, Monetiere

Northern Italy, 17th century

Monetiere

Ebony wood and ivory, cm 41 x 62 x 27

Accompanied by CITES Community Certificate

Rectangular in shape, the monetiere has on the front a door that conceals an internal scarabattolo, while on the sides there are three drawers profiled by ebony frames finely carved that frame ivory plates with inside scenes engraved to bulino. The handles are in bronze shaped like a lion’s head. Three small drawers open in the lower part, also with ivory fronts bearing depictions of bucolic scenes and always with bronze handles. The central door instead presents the figure of a warrior woman dressed in the old way, with boots and tunic, while leaning on a spear planted in the ground. See as an example, in particular for the decorative typology, a pantry with the figure of Diana preserved in the Museo Baroffio del Sacro Monte di Varese. Or the stipi appeared on the antique market, that in the collection Cagnola in Gazzada and one in private collection attributable to 1630 in Milan which has a similar decoration in ivory in the external frame.

Essentially two types and two production centres have been identified: Naples and especially Lombardy, where the furniture in question can be placed, subject to Spanish rule, they have been attributed small monetieri, Free of plastic and architectural elements, with plates depicting, often in italics, characters, animals and plant collections.