Flowers from Antiquity

On this secretary, the floral motifs are not limited to the lacquered panels: in fact, the wooden elements also present a decoration of natural elements, specifically oak leaves and acorns, which span across vertically and horizontally.

It is not unusual to find a focus on nature in this type of furniture, as natural motifs were beloved in Europe in the late 18th century. They had developed from France, where an interest for the natural world had become popular thanks to literature (for example, Rousseau's and Diderot’s writings often focused on nature itself and the state of mankind in nature).

Images of flora were also connected to the 18th century fascination with Antiquity. In the 1850s, the Roman cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum were discovered and excavated, and this sparked an interest in antiquity throughout Europe. The fascination with Ancient Rome and Greece materially manifested in architecture, interiors, and even fashion.

It is visible on our secretary as well. For example, it features a decoration in the form of a garland of oak leaves, with the leaves and acorns spanning horizontally across the middle of the secretary, united in the middle by a ribbon. The same motif runs down the sides vertically as well. This garland is undoubtedly connected to the decorative motifs of Ancient Rome: for example, the 1st century fresco of the Villa of the Farnesina in Rome, where we can see a decoration of garlands of leaves spanning across the wall and dividing the painted scenes. (Fig. 1).

The double flora motif of the lacquer panels and the subtle wooden one seem to be in conversation, bringing together Japanese and European craftsmanship and styles.