Anonymous Mexican, Peruvian or Portuguese, ca. 1780
Pair of large seats or triple seats, c. 1780

Pair of large seats or triple seats, c. 1780
Two large seats or multiple seats, ca. 1780.

Mexican, Peruvian or Portuguese school. Cedar wood (?) carved and gilded.

Provenance:

Dominican convent of Santa Catalina de Osuna (Seville), choir. Founded by Don Juan Téllez- Girón, IV Count of Ureña, on May 18, 1558; private collection; temporarily ceded by the property for the sole purpose of decorating specifically the Cathedral of Santa María la Real de la Almudena in Madrid, on the occasion of the sacred Consecration and visit to this temple by His Holiness Pope John Paul II, on June 15, 1993; removed again by the private property.

This unusual pair of seats or multiple seats, thanks to its conservation, quality in its conception and carving, in addition to its generous proportion and size, make it a piece of furniture to be taken into account within the production of this Latin American genre of the last third of the 18th century.

Each one of these seats is divided by four arms into three seats, where the development of its triple backrest is striking. The lacquer work developed in each of its backs is a work to highlight from the point of view of constructive quality and design, a detail that the specialist in antique furniture M.ª Paz Aguiló Alonso relates to the similar spade system that presents specific aspects of the pulpit of the cathedral of Lima or certain examples preserved in the so-called Casa de Aliaga (Peru) [1].

In spite of originally having a location destined for the reception rooms of different architectural constructions (such as palaces or large stately homes) conceived as furniture in pairs, in this case we have news of a religious origin, if this was its first destination, coming, according to the property, from the choir of the Dominican convent of Santa Catalina de Osuna (Seville).

María Campos Carles de Peña, versed in the matter at hand and through her knowledge of these two pieces of furniture through photographs, points out that "these are pieces of very good stylistic and constructive quality" where the specialist points out, in general, the possibility of being Portuguese work of rococo style with English influence (Chippendale) from the second half of the 18th century [2] .

They are in a good state of conservation, presenting some small restorations of antiquity. We want to emphasize the clear aspect of distinction and excellence that presents the set in its direct observation.

Permission granted by the Spanish State for its definitive export to countries of the European Union; rest of countries of the world, previous payment of tax.

[1] We are grateful for the kindness and kindness of Mrs. M.ª Paz Aguiló in her orientation about this piece of furniture.

[2] We also appreciate the courtesy and deference of Ms. María Campos Carles de Peña for her guidance on this piece of furniture.

Reference Bibliography:

Taullard, A.: El Mueble Colonial Sudamericano. Ediciones Peuser S.A.; B.A. 1944, figs. 115-117.

Campos Carlés de Peña, María: Un legado que pervive en Hispanoamérica. El mobiliario del virreinato del Perú de los siglos XVII y XVIII. Madrid 2013, ed. El Viso, pp. 340 and 67.