Desk
c. 1760–65
Wood, walnut and pine, bronze mounts
132.1 × 48.3 cm (52 × 19 in)
SEE IT IN PERSON
● On view now — Galleries 231-233
Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago · verified July 2026
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FROM THE ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO’S CATALOG
The top portion of this desk drops down to create a writing surface, revealing a suite of discreet drawers. Its bulbous shape ( bombé in French) is characteristic of continental European furniture from the mid-1700s. Northern Italian designers developed a distinct style, called Barocchetto , inspired by marble church altars. Craftspeople expertly arranged the burl-walnut veneers in this example to mimic marbling, while raised molding unifies the drawers, enhancing the visual harmony.
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