Description
A George IV goncalo alves and scagliola inset occasional table, decorated with the tomb of Cecilia Matella, repaired, with a leaf border on a faceted and leaf carved stem the quatreform base with turned feet, the underside with a printed label 'Peter Della Valle & Brothers, Manufactures & Painters of Scagliola, Num 1473, Per Porta Cappuccini Leghorn,' 68cm (26.75in) high, 58cm (22.75in) wide, 47.5cm (18.75in) deep. The Peter Della Valle brothers were accomplished Italian artists in scagliola in the mid nineteenth century with workshops at Leopolda Street, Palazza Maria, Livorno (or Leghorn as it was known in English) on the Ligurian coast. One of the most important examples of their production is a scagliola slab which forms the top made for a table exhibited by the brothers at The Crystal Palace Exhibition in 1851. Interestingly, the equally accomplished base was made by two other brothers, Luigi and Angiolo Falcini (1794-1861 and 1801- 1850 respectively) who had their workshops in Florence and were known for their excellence in floral marquetry compositions in the style of the seventeenth century marqueter Leonardo van der Vinne. This table originally on loan to The Los Angeles Museum forms part of The Gilbert Collection now in London. Literature: Anna Maria Massinelli, The Gilbert Collection, Hardstones pub. Philip Wilson, 2000 exh. 33 p.103. Alva Gonzlez-Palacios, The Art of Mosaics, revised edition,1982, no.81, p. 180. Another known composition of The Della Valle brother's work is the scagliola table slab after the Bolognese baroque era painter Guido Reni (1575 - 1642) depicting the goddess of the dawn opening the gates of heaven to Helios riding in his chariot. The inspiration for this composition was a fresco that they copied from the ceiling of the Casino Rospiglioi in Rome. See examples offered at Phillips London, 12.02.85 and Christies, London, 10.03.88, lot 41. Their workshops also produced circular scagliola slabs for centre tables notably an example that featured the seven views of Rome, the scagliola used in conjunction with 'encausto' (a surface decoration similar to the fresco technique). See examples offered at Sotheby's London. 11.12.92. Lot 381 and Christies New York 25.10.91, lot 144. The classical blue scrollwork border decoration on the former comparable in feel to the present example being offered for sale. Scholars have over the years erroneously referred to scagliola as a cheaper alternative to pietre dure. Scagliola was produced down to a price as was pietre dure, however the finest work by the eighteenth century had exceeded that of pietre dure in the extraordinary artistic compositions achieved by the scagliolarists. These artists mixed together a variety of earth colours as one would use a palette of paint enabling them to create subtle tones in their work as never seen before. Scagliola, a composite material, akin to plaster, is made from selenite, the purist form of gypsum. This is calcined, reduced to a