A 19th Century Italian Walnut Sgabello

A late 19th Century Italian Walnut Sgabello carved in the Renaissance revival style, the high pierced back surmounted by a mask crowned with rays and flanked by scrollwork and female-form supports, centred with a cartouche shield and foliate ornament. The shaped seat above a boldly carved base featuring winged grotesques and a satyr mask terminating in volute feet. This richly sculptural form recalls the Florentine sgabelli of the 16th century, traditionally used as hall chairs to display heraldic or allegorical decoration. The vigorous carving and imaginative use of mythological motifs typify the 19th-century Italian fascination with Renaissance ornament. Stamped twice with the initials “FF” and once with a single “F”, likely denoting the maker or workshop. Provenance: From a private collection; purchased on Church Street, London, in 1969.