A set of four Italian pictorial walnut and fruitwood marquetry panels by Luigi Ravelli, Piedmontese, Vercelli dated 1796 and 1811

one depicting a prison or cellar interior and signed on the back Luigi Ravelli fe in Vercelli nel 1811, one depicting Roman ruins, a temple and an obelisk and signed on the back Luigi Ravelli fe in Vercelli nel 1811, another one depicting the exterior of a gothic palace and signed in inlay on the bottom right Ravelli figlio 1796 as well as on the back Luigi Ravelli fe in Vercelli nel 1796, a further one depicting Roman ruins with a city in the background and signed on the back Luigi Ravelli fe in Vercelli; each within an ebonised frame with parcel-gilt borders of ribbon-twist and stylized foliate motifs

In overall very good original condition. Superlative quality inlay. The colour of the marquetry panels is less orange and more natural and attractive than in the catalogue photograph.There are some hairline and other very minor cracks in the panels as visible in the catalogue photograph but these normal due to age and are not too noticeable. There are a couple of very minor sections of the gilt mouldings chipped off on two of the frames, which are hardly noticeable, eg top left corner top panel (1) p. 236, and top right panel (3) p. 237 top left corner. There are also a couple of old restorations to some of the frames eg panels 2 and 3. Two of the frames are a little dirty and would benefit from a light clean according to taste and one shows evidence of old very minor worm which appears to be no longer active.
"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."

An expertise by Enrico Colle is available in Italian on request from the department.


Comparative Literature:
Alvar Gonzales Palacios, Il Gusto dei Principi, Milan, 1993, vol. II, pp. 663-665, 667-668, 670-671;
Paolo San Martino, Scena e capriccio nelle tarsie del laboratorio di Ignazio e Luigi Ravelli ebanisti, 1800 circa, in "Studi Piemontesi", n. 26 (1997), pp.383-390;
Enrico Colle, Il mobile neoclassico in Italia. Arredi e decorazioni d'interni dal 1775 al 1800, Milano, 2005, pp. 474-475;

These highly evocative trompe l'oeil inlaid panels depict extraordinary imaginary architectural fantasies. The source of inspiration for the interior scene, characterized by a complex series of overlapping perspectives, is Piranesi's "Carceri d'invenzione" ('Imaginary Prisons') of 1750, especially plate XVI ('The Pier with Chains'), which features similar heavily rusticated massive arches, balustraded walkways and a hanging lantern.
The inlay technique used for the panels incorporates many different types of wood, carefully matched in order to confer on the whole composition an extraordinary sense of depth and soulfulness. The illusion of the shading is created by the chromatic modulation of the colours being chosen and is therefore only partially due to the carved details. Considerable skill was needed to select the appropriate grain and figure from the many different veneers used to create these works, in order to achieve the subtle variations of texture in the finished picture. Ravelli has also used controlled burning to produce the effect of shade. This was done by scorching areas of veneer in a ttray of hot silver sand.

Several such magnificent marquetry panels by Luigi Ravelli and his father Ignazio are known and most of them are exhibited in museums.
An almost identical interior scene to the present one, signed by Luigi Ravelli, is in the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery (Accession Nr. 1965T6391.2).
Two marquetry panels, one of a very similar prison interior and signed by Ignazio Ravelli, and one after an engraving of the Vestibolo rotondo dei Musei Vaticani, are in the Museo Arquéologico in Madrid, while two further panels of the same scenes, signed by Luigi Ravelli, are in the Museo Leone in Vercelli (which was the birthplace of the Ravellis). All of these are illustrated by González-Palacios, op. cit., figs. 663-5 and 667-8.
A virtually identical panel to the one with Roman ruins in the foreground and a city in the background, signed by Luigi Ravelli, is today in the Museo Civico in Turin.

Panels of this type were also used by the Ravellis to be inset in accomplished pieces of furniture. Furniture signed and attributed to Ignazio Ravelli include a demilune commode in the Museo Civico di Arte Antico in Turin and two examples in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, a commodino (fig. 1) with the same prison interior as those noted above, and a demi-lune commode, the central marquetry panels of which features a balustraded and arcaded bridge strikingly similar to that on one of the exterior scene of the panels offered here (museum no. 6813-1860).

Similar marquetry panels to the ones offered here can also be found on a pair of demi-lune commodes sold Christie's, Milan, 28th November 2007, lot 1009 for €252,200.
A single marquetry panel by Luigi Ravelli depicting a palace in a landscape, was sold at Meeting Art, Milan, in 2007, Sale Nr. 606, lot 120 for €46.000.
A pair of panels, one depicting a prison interior and one a balustraded and arcaded bridge virtually identical to the corresponding ones offered here and to the panels in the V&A, was sold Christie's, New York, 21st October 2004, lot 1131 for $119,500.

Luigi Ravelli (1776-1858):
Luigi Ravelli and his father Ignazio (Vercelli, 1756-1836) are considered among the most important neo-classical cabinet-makers and specialist-marqueteurs between the late XVIIIth and early XIXth century. From 1783 onwards, Ignazio Ravelli enjoyed royal patronage in Turin, the capital of the Kingdom of Sardinia. Ignazio was a specialist in inlay, who began his professional life copying the decoration on the Renaissance choir stalls in the church of S. Andrea in Vercelli, having noted that King Vittorio Amedeo III (reigned 1773-96) was particularly impressed by them. In 1791, Ignazio Ravelli was awarded by King Amedeo III, the so-called "Patente Regia", this entitled him to an annual salary. His son Luigi also produced work in a similar tradition to that of his father. Little further is known about the Ravellis, although G.B. De Gregory, in his Storia della vercellese letteratura e arti, Turin, 1820, pp. 385-6, notes how one of their specialities was 'quadri in tarcia[sic]'. Ignazio Ravelli was also recorded as supplying works to King Vittorio Amedeo III and was noted in the royal account books for his 'tarsie architettoniche' (see González-Palacios, op. cit., vol. I, pp. 363-4).