A neoclassical polychrome painted, lacquered and carved console table after designs by Michelangelo Pergolesi, Northern Italy, last quarter 18th century

the later veneered marble top on six curved legs terminating in birds' heads

W. Apolloni Gallery, Rome

Related literature:

Libby (ed.), Venice in the age of Canaletto, New York, 2009

Pergolesi, Designs for Various Ornaments, London, 1777-1801

The illustration of the catalogue is accurate but the console is more vibrant in reality. The marble top is in good condition. There are the inevitable dents, marks, cracks and scratches due to age and use. The painting is slightly rubbed and tarnished and has been slightly refreshed. There are minor chips and losses to the carving, especially to the pearls and to the fruits elements of the seatrail. There are old woodworms traces. The feet have been slightly restored. Very elegant console. Delicate carving and colours.
"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."

This elegant and slender console table relates to a group of furniture conceived by the same workshop and probably originally part of one important suite. The design, traditionally attributed to Michelangelo Pergolesi, exemplifies the great inventiveness distinguishing Italian furniture of the period within the context of a truly international neoclassical style.

A somewhat mysterious ornameniste and probably born in Venice, Pergolesi spent most of his life working for Robert Adam in England. There, in 1777-1801, he published the influential Designs for Various Ornaments, influenced by Renaissance and Etruscan motifs.

Intriguingly, although the overall design of the present table is positively unique, similar carved and lacquered elements are found in Piedmont, Lombardy and Naples. In fact, this suite calls to mind two of the most memorable settings of Italian neoclassical Chinoiserie: the interiors of Villa Favorita in Ercolano, Naples - designed by the Florentine architect Ferdinando Fuga (1762-1768) - and those of Villa Silva at Cinisello Balsamo, Milan, designed by Agostino Gerli and Giuseppe Levati (c.1770).

Briefly discussing the present suite, Libby (op. cit., pp. 150-52) ascribes it to Venice; however, this is based on slight evidence: Pergolesi's copperplate engravings were widely circulated and met with particular favour in Piedmont, where they were employed for instance by Bonzanigo (see the console table in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, inv. no. 1970.4).

With the exception of the present console table, the remainder of the suite appears to have left Italy for the United States in the early 20th century. An identical console table sold Sotheby's New York, 22 May 2001, lot 392; another, with slight variations to the frieze, sold Sotheby's New York, 26 October 2012, lot 239. A pair of settees and chairs are in the Ringling Museum, Sarasota (inv. no. SN1804-5); finally, one side chair is in the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum, New York (inv. no. 1924-6-1). Recently, a pair of chairs probably from the same suite sold Sotheby's New York, Important English and European Decorative Arts, 24 April 2013, lot 113 (Fig. 1).