Pair Of Renaissance Chairs - Lombardy, Late 16th Century

A Pair of Carved Wooden Chairs
Lombardy, late 16th century

H. 86 × W. 48 × D. 43 cm

This elegant pair of so-called “da balia” (nurse’s) chairs is distinguished by its small scale and the richness of its carved decoration, characteristic of Lombard furniture production at the end of the Renaissance.

Carved from wood with great refinement, the chairs stand on turned baluster legs joined by moulded and carved stretchers. The rear uprights, fashioned as turned columns, are surmounted by small finials in the form of acorns, a detail typical of late sixteenth-century Lombard furniture.

The openwork backrests form the most striking feature of the pair. They are richly carved in high relief with winged mythological creatures, their bodies terminating in mermaid tails, shown confronting one another on either side of a central heraldic shield. This decorative vocabulary, drawn from the Renaissance repertoire of grotesques and heraldry, reflects the enduring influence of Mannerist aesthetics in Lombard decorative arts during this period. The central back rail is further enriched with symmetrical stylised foliage and scrolling motifs.

The chairs are upholstered in later red velvet, providing a vivid contrast with the dark, richly patinated surface of the carved wood.

Both chairs bear stamped marks on the reverse of the backrests, likely indicating a workshop or ownership mark, a rare and valuable feature for furniture of this type.

By virtue of their refined iconography, quality of execution, and state of preservation, this pair represents a fine example of late sixteenth-century Lombard furniture, poised between domestic function and representational display.