An Italian chinoiserie lacquered tray, Venetian mid 18th century

of serpentine form with two handles, with a central chinoiserie scene depicting chinamen playing with birds under an umbrella in an oriental landscape, within borders of scroll, floral and stylised leaf decoration

COMPARATIVE LITERATURE
Edi Baccheschi and Saul Levy, Mobili Laccati del Settecento Venezianio, vol. II, Milan, Görlich Editore, Milan, 1966,119-132.

Related trays with similarly lacquered mirrors were part of the dressing table sets very fashionable amongst the signore alla moda in the 18^th century. A few similar examples are in the Museum of Ca’ Rezzonico, illustrated in the Lacche Veneziane di Ca’ Rezzonico.

A similar tray was sold in these rooms on the 10^th-12^th March 1999 as lot 143 from the Giuseppe Rossi sale.

A comparative tray can be seen in Milan at the Civiche Raccolte d’Arte by Baccheschi and Levy, op. cit. p 121.