Tuscan Balestra-form Chest Of Drawers In Walnut Burl With Antique African Marble, Ca. 1740

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Tuscan Serpentine Chest of Drawers in Walnut Burl with Antique African Marble, ca. 1740

Tuscan serpentine chest of drawers from the transitional phase between the late Baroque and early Rococo, dating to around 1740. The front and sides are curvilinear and fully shaped, with a clearly defined and continuous movement.

Of particular note is the top in antique African marble, a prized variety with a dark ground marked by deep reddish-brown areas and pronounced natural golden veining. The quality of the slab and the strength of its pattern are uncommon in this typology; a possible reuse of earlier marble cannot be excluded, a practice documented in 18th-century workshops.

The walnut burl veneer, in a dark tone, is laid in broad fields with a strong, clearly legible grain. The pattern of the wood relates directly to that of the marble, creating a balanced and materially rich ensemble. Palisander stringing precisely outlines the drawers.

The foot, set in continuity with the leg and without rocaille scrolls, confirms its place within mid-18th-century Tuscan tradition.

A significant example of the Tuscan serpentine chest, distinguished by the quality of its materials and its typological coherence.