Painted Chest - Tyrol 1791

Painted Chest - Tyrol 1791 Technical information: Epoch: 1791 Provenance: Tyrol Essence: Spruce Height: 76 cm Width: 137 cm Depth: 62 cm Description: Tyrolean spruce chest, dated 1791, an expression of alpine furniture in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. The structure is rectangular in shape, with a shaped base and a front divided into three painted panels; the lid is hinged and has a slightly projecting linear profile. The pictorial decoration is executed in casein, a technique widely used in alpine furniture because of its strength and opacity. The structural background of the cabinet and the painted frames are a dull, cold, muted green color, traceable to a sage green turning to gray, obtained by casein-bonded mineral pigmentation. The hue has a slightly bluish component, now further softened by natural aging and wear, which contributes to an understated and uniform color effect. The front panels have a cream-ivory background treated with a faux marble pattern, created by irregular glazing and slight color modulations that simulate a marbled surface, giving visual depth while maintaining a restrained and functional rendering. A stylized floral motif is developed on each panel, arranged vertically, enclosed within freehand drawn frames. These frames, colored sees, present mixtilinear gaits and simplified volutes, which frame the central decoration, creating a balance between ornamental structure and painted surface. The central panel retains the original wrought-iron bush for the lock, a functional element integrated into the decorative design. The key and lock are also original and functional. The chest rests on a lowered and shaped lower band, carved from the same fir wood as the frame. The lower part has a continuous mixtilinear profile, with gently curved carvings and symmetrical indentations, which visually lighten the base while maintaining a structural function. The fascia is treated with the same casein paint in grayish sage green, in chromatic continuity with the painted sides and frames of the panels, and is further enhanced by stylized floral motifs and the date placed in the center.