Panelling and Ceiling, with an Allegory of Nobility

mid 17th century

The study was a private space for the master of the house to work but also to keep his precious objects, books and paintings, which made it also a place open to art lovers. The decor of this study consists of a ceiling, low panelling and four doors. The rest of the wall space would have been covered with material, generally silk in a plain colour to set off the paintings. This interior was probably designed by an architect in a sort of synthesis of the arts, as its creation drew upon the skills of a whole range of craftsmen organised on the basis of his working drawings: carpenters and cabinetmakers for the structures to support the work of upholsterers, sculptors and stucco workers with ornamentalists and gilders to put the finishing touches, and painters to add works often of an allegorical nature. The most sophisticated interiors sometimes required craftsmen specialising in marquetry or in the imitation of Chinese lacquer.

Artwork Details