Imposing walnut wood, bombe chest of drawers dating from the reign of King João V (1706-1750).

The symmetric and bulbous volume of the chest’s case has its natural continuity in the evident baroque curving and counter curving movement of its legs and side panels. This exceptional piece of furniture, of undulating framed top, features two short and one long drawer, finely carved decorative elements, and exuberant chiselled and gilt bronze hardware.

On the front, the restraint evidenced by the plain drawer frames creates a sharp contrast with the rococo handles and lock escutcheons of foliage and shell motifs surmounted by open winged eagles, symbols of power, and central heart shaped elements.

The chest’s robust low apron is centred by a pierced shell shaped motif, framed by sinuous volutes extending into a pair of acanthus leaves, which finish-off the case curved outline.

The light asymmetry of this composition, forming a cartouche-like feature, confers movement and dynamism to the chest’s ornamentation and, jointly with the exuberant bronze elements, heralds a style that will define the succeeding reign of King José I (1750-1777). Despite their evident simplicity, the carved shell and foliage motifs adopted for the lateral aprons’ decoration do also reveal the asymmetry that will be fully explored by the rococo ornamental grammar of José I tenure.

Resting on claw and ball feet, the accentuated cabriole legs contribute to reinforcing the opulence characteristic of the art produced under the reign of João V, the “Magnanimous”, as does the rich walnut wood patterns and colour, enhanced in the English fashion, which bestow a strongly expressive character to the chest of drawers’ raw material. The bronze elements shell shaped aesthetic details, however, as well as the apron plumes and alternating concave and convex lines, do suggest influence from the French Regency (1715-1723) decorative grammar. Despite these important features, this chest of drawers is also defined by its undeniable sobriety, an attribute of Portuguese furniture from the previous century.

Based on the fact that during the transitional period of the final decade of João V’s reign furniture design loses some of the volume that endowed it with its robustness, both in structure and in its openly asymmetric carved decoration,

characteristics not identifiable in this chest of drawers, it is possible to estimate a production date for this piece of furniture at some point during the second-quarter of the 18th century.[1]

Leonor de Liz Amaral

José António Proença, Mobiliário da Casa-Museu Dr. Anastácio Gonçalves, M/C, 2002.

Reynaldo dos Santos, Oito Séculos de Arte Portuguesa, História e Espírito, Vol. 3, Empresa Nacional de Publicidade, 1950.

[1] I must thank Dr. Teresa Sande Lemos for her assistance in identifying this chest of drawers.