Description:
This commode features a slightly curved front and three drawers framed by two square pilasters, ending in truncated conical feet with inlaid molding. The curved sides each contain a door and a wedge-shaped drawer, which can be opened using a spring mechanism.
Made of walnut with spruce interiors, the piece is veneered in striped walnut with wide cherry and maple borders, within which intricate inlays are present. The front, on the two main drawers, displays a rosette with a musical panoply enclosed by a foliate decoration. The top also features a rosette, in this case with foliage, surrounded by large leaves held by ribbons. The side doors showcase leafy clusters, while the apron under the top, where the drawers are located, is adorned with a vine branch motif.
The inlays are crafted from walnut, walnut burl, cherry, maple, and boxwood.
Dimensions: 94 x 147 x 63 cm
CODE: ANMOCA0088209
Historical and Stylistic Analysis
The unusual shape of the commode recalls the French demi-lune style while maintaining a distinct architectural separation between the front and sides through the squared pilasters.
To date, three known pieces from Giuseppe Maggiolini’s production feature this distinctive architectural design.
The first is the trumeau from the Litta Modigliani Collection. The shape of the base of this double-body piece closely resembles that of the commode. Additionally, the inlay on the front of the commode mirrors the design found on the door of the trumeau.
There is also a commode that appeared in the 1938 exhibition at Palazzo Reale in Milan (featured in the catalog on plate 6), formerly part of the Pietro Accorsi Collection in Turin. This piece once again follows the same design, although its front is straight and includes a small upper section.
The side drawers open with a compass-like mechanism, using the same system as the commode described here. In both pieces, it is noteworthy that beneath the first drawer, there is a raised molding of identical shape, which can also be found on the last comparison piece.
This refers to the desk from the Civiche Raccolte, which was exhibited alongside the Litta trumeau at the “Maggiolini al Fuorisalone” exhibition in 2015.
The shape of this writing desk, with its curved short sides, echoes that of this group of furniture pieces. Additionally, it features a similar vine branch inlay motif on the drawers beneath the top and shares the soft, warm tones of the woods used, primarily domestic woods, just like the other pieces in this set.
For the creation of the inlays, various designs from the Fondo preserved at the Civiche Raccolte of Castello Sforzesco were used. These designs are applied with variations, sometimes combining different proposals.
Notably, F C 98 was used for the foliate ornamentation embellishing the central medallion, while F B 386 was employed for the musical panoply.
The piece is accompanied by an expert appraisal by Professor Giuseppe Beretti.
Comparative Bibliography:
- Giuseppe Beretti-Alvar Gonzalez Palacios, Giuseppe Maggiolini Catalogo ragionato dei disegni, ed. inlimine2014
- G. Morazzoni, Il Mobile intarsiato di Giuseppe Maggiolini, ed. Gorlich, 1953
- Giuseppe Beretti, Giuseppe Maggiolini, l’Officina del Neoclassicismo, ed. Malavasi 1994
- Museo di Milano, Mostra commemorativa di Giuseppe Maggiolini, 1938 ed. Ariel
- Commode by Giuseppe Maggiolini, ca 1790
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