Italian, Trentino-Alto Adige
Cabinet (Stipo), 18th century
Painted and gilded poplar with inlays of walnut and pine, 101.5 x 74.7 x 40.5 cm (39 15/16 x 29 7/16 x 15 15/16 in.)
Painted red and gilded poplar rectangular cabinet with inlays of walnut and pine. The cabinet rests on four bun feet. The front center of the cabinet has a small, rectangular door defined by red and yellow molding and a keyhole. The interior of the panel is painted brown with a filigree pattern in faded red. To the left of the keyhole there is a metal ring. Surrounding the central panel are small paintings of people and houses. The two sides of the cabinet have two rectangular filigree designs one above the other. The left and right sides each have large metal rings for handles. The cabinet interior is filled with drawers, each with a filigree pattern on their fronts. Each has a gilded handle. The back of the front of the cabinet has a large filigree pattern as well, and the interior hinges are gilded.
Early Italian Room
Commentary
This 18th century cabinet embodies the charm of Italian provincial furniture, especially of the Alpine regions. Fantastical beasts, turreted buildings, landscapes, and figures are naively painted on small patches of gilding on a red ground. The central panel conceals a set of fifteen drawers and inside of one, is a secret compartment. On top, Isabella Stewart Gardner displayed an arrangement of a several Japanese objects including a Japanese ceramic figure of Tang dynasty Chinese poet, Li Bai (701-762).