ATTRIBUTED TO GIUSEPPE VIGLIONE, TURIN, LATE 18TH CENTURY

Giuseppe Viglione (1748-1823) was cabinet-maker to the Royal Court of Savoy. A native of Turin, Viglione was nephew of the celebrated Luigi Prinotto and as evidenced by his surviving body of work, he went on to become a highly accomplished ébéniste, joining the corporation circa 1781. He signed/marked many of his works with printed labels, on which he certified himself as Padrone Ebanista Approvato. He became the head of a small atelier and produced pieces for the Royal Court of Savoy, the first documented payments from these commissions dating from 1789. Specific invoices from 1794 refer to furniture delivered to the Queen’s apartment (1.650 Lire) including three wardrobes, and a number of demi-lune commodes (called di forma mezzo ovale) for the Castello di Rivoli. Viglione was still active in 1815 when Vittorio Emanuele I acceded the throne. His production is often characterised by a illusionistic Greek key marquetry used as a contrasting border to quarter-veneered drawers and a close variant of this is seen to this commode.

A demi-lune commode by Viglione with extremely closely related distinctive and finely drawn perspective parquetry decoration, notably a near identical frieze inlaid and mounted to simulate an entablature, similarly sans traverse diagonally veneered drawer-fronts and near identical inlaid cylindrical legs and with a marble top of apparently conforming stone and profile is illustrated in E. Colle, Il Mobile Neoclassico in Italia; Arredi e Decorazionei D’Interni, Milan, 2005, fig. 425. A further related demi-lune commode exhibiting many of these features but of slightly simpler design, signed by Viglione, was sold, Christie's, New York, 21 October 2010, lot 150 ($50,000).


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