Fine French Renaissance walnut credenza

Origin : France, Val-de-Loire workshops
Period : 16th century


Height : 149 cm
Length : 127.5 cm
Depth : 50 cm

Walnut wood and pastiglia
Fine condition


This very fine model of walnut credenza opens with two door-leaves and two drawers.

It stands on bun feet. The moulded base supports two baluster columns. The back of the lower part is divided in three panels with a rose carved upon the central one.

The upper body opens with two door-leaves, standing on a large belt where are located two drawers. This two registers are firmly delineated with mouldings. The five facets of the cabinet, as the door-leaves and drawers, are framed by balusters adorned with acanthus leaves.

Scrolls designed with pasliglia inlaids enrich the door-leaves and drawers. On the door-leaves this decor is centred around a darkened wood mirror.

This type of furniture has multiple uses. It was often meant to display the owner’s valuable artifacts and this way advertising his own status.

This cabinet shows mixed influences. The sideboard structure is quite traditional while the technics used for its making certify its was produced in the second half of the 16th century.

The pastiglia technic was brought to France during the 16th century thanks to Italian artisans working on François I royal projects, such as Fontainebleau.

The use of diverse wood species and eggshells flatter the beautiful wood turning seen in the balusters and the refinement of the structure.

This credenza embodies the rigor, the elegance and the sophistication in vogue during François I’s reign.