Center table in veneered wood, Genoa, Barocchetto period, mid 18th century

This refined center table, entirely veneered in violet wood and bois de rose, was made in the Barocchetto period, around the mid 18th century, in Genoa, Italy.
The upper top, with a serpentine outline on all four sides, is fully veneered in fine violet wood arranged in four geometrically patterned panels meeting at the center. A bois de rose band runs along the inner perimeter, framing the grain of the wood as a true decorative motif, while the end grain border, slightly raised on three sides, discreetly serves as a gallery to prevent objects and small books from slipping off. The front lock, fitted with a key and a gilt, chiselled bronze escutcheon with rocaille motifs, allows the top to tip open, revealing a large interior compartment: here too the veneer work is extremely accurate, with four panels forming a geometric composition, a sign of unusual care even in parts that are normally hidden.
On the front, beneath the lock, there is a drawer incorporating a practical pull out writing surface. When opened, it offers a top lined with leather, edged with a fine gilt and tooled decorative border, perfect for holding sheets, books or a small notebook. On the right side, a lateral drawer with walnut interiors includes an inkwell compartment with subdivisions, testifying to the original function of the piece.
All the sides are carefully veneered, allowing the table to be placed at the center of a room.
The slender, well balanced structure rests on four particularly sinuous, shaped legs that curve gracefully and terminate in gilt, chiselled bronze sabots with rocaille motifs, adding a luminous and precious note. The movement of the legs, with sharply defined edges, creates a continuous play of light and shadow, while the central front upright, rounded and finished with end grain bois de rose, introduces a refined chromatic variation that reveals the hand of a high level workshop.
The lower section is completed by a veneered shelf connecting the legs, providing stability while offering an additional storage surface; here as well, a thin end grain border, slightly raised, defines the perimeter with understated elegance.
Overall, the table is extremely versatile: it can be placed at the center of a living room, between sofas, beside an armchair, or used as a small auxiliary writing desk in a study, fitting naturally into both classical interiors and contemporary spaces seeking a touch of scholarly and sophisticated taste.
A conservative restoration will be carried out shortly.
We apologise for any errors in the translation from Italian.

Dimensions: 45 cm W x 35.5 cm D x 71 cm H; writing surface height 61.5 cm