A fine Italian rosewood, ebony, ebonised and tortoiseshell cabinet mounted with painted glass panels on an ebonised and parcel-gilt stand, Neapolitan second half 17th century

the panels depicting Pan and Syrinx, The Rape of Europa, Galatea, Adonis's death, Venus and Adonis, with a central drawer depicting Neptune above a door enclosing a removable interior with a panel depicting the Birth of Venus with a chequerboard bone and ebony floor, four mirrors flanked by three drawers; rebacked

Cabinet: A most impressive and rare piece with all the painted panels in very good conserved condition. Highly Recommended. There are some hairline cracks in the sides, which have been restored in the past and some other smaller cracks and minor restorations which do not detract from the piece. The detail to the painting is very good and in good condition, with some very minor flaking in places as visible from photograph. There are some very minor losses to areas of the tortoiseshell but these are hardly noticeable. In the top central drawer, the smaller canted right hand panel behind the gilt-bronze putto and the panel with the Rape of Europa (middle left in the photo) and the panel bottom right in the photo are probably later replacements. The spandrel above the central door on the left has a small crack as visible from photograph. There are four mirrored panels internally on the sides where the mercury is degrading. Stand: The stand has been regilt and re-ebonised and the swags have been strengthened at the back. The feet on the stand are later.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Comparative Literature:
Enrico Colle, Il Mobile Barocco in Italia, Milan, 2000, pp. 66-67.
Luis Feduchi, El Meuble Espagnol, Barcelona, 1969, p. 212, fig. 185.
Luis Feduchi, Historia de Los estilos del Meuble Espagnol, Barcelona, 1969, pp. 208-209, figs. 296 and 297, p. 210, figs. 299 and 300, p.212, fig. 301.
Alvar Gonzáles-Palacios, Il Tempio del Gusto, Milan, 1984, Vol. II, fig. 384.

Many of these monumental cabinets have similarly painted glass panels of mythological and allegorical subjects set into cabinets veneered in rosewood, ebony and tortoiseshell. These panels are commonly catalogued as being in the manner of Luca Giordano. Although a number of these cabinets exist in Spain, where they are catalogued as Spanish, they are almost certainly of Neapolitan origin, as there were strong ties between Naples and Spain in the 17th century, Naples being ruled by the Spanish sovereign at that time.

Similar pieces are listed and described in documents from the archives of the Prince of Avellino, the Duke of Calabritti and the Cardinal Carafa, members of the Neapolitan aristocracy. A bill dated 22nd October 1679, was paid by Giovanni Battista Tara for a pair of ebony-veneered cabinets mounted with painted panels, see Alvar González-Palacios, op. cit., pp. 222-224. Bernado de Dominici, Vite de'Pittori, Scultori ed Architeti Napoletani, Naples, 1742, mentions the similarity in style of these painted panels to the work of Luca Giordano, particularly the use of a palette dominated by blue and light pinky-red.
There are various related cabinets recorded including but not exclusively:
1. A cabinet with a related stand with spirally turned legs, in the Palace of Perelada, Gerona, illustrated by Feduchi, op. cit., p. 212, fig, 185-reproduced in fig. 1.
2. A cabinet in Palazzo Barberini, Rome, illustrated by A.G.P., op. cit., fig. 384 and in Colle, op. cit., No. 14, p. 66.
3. A pair of cabinets in the collection of the Marquess de Campo-Franco, Palma de Mallorca, illustrated by Feduchi, op. cit.,  figs. 297 and 297.
4. Two cabinets in the Son-Veri collection, Mallorca, illustrated by Feduchi, op. cit., figs. 299 and 300.
5. A cabinet in the Palacio de Vivó, Mallorca, illustrated by Feduchi, ibid, fig. 301.
6. A cabinet in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London.