An Early C17th Tall Spanish Chestnut Cupboard
All aspects of this curious chestnut cupboard, from carving and joinery to the iron hinges, would have been hand-worked using only the primitive tools available. The unsanded planks on the sides indicate that this cupboard would’ve been set back into an alcove. Modest yet wonderfully decorative, the distinct spirals are a simplification of the swirling baroque forms that dominated 17th-century aesthetics. In Spanish furniture, this spiral motif was often employed on the feet of oak or walnut trestle tables.
In Spain, Chestnut trees were grown at relatively high elevation compared to the rest of southern Europe, with particular abundance in the north-west mountainous regions of Galicia and Asturia. Its rich fruit was a welcome commodity in provincial villages, while the wood was valued in furniture making for its strength and hue, especially among wealthier monastic communities. Our cupboard may well have sat in such a monastery, storing cloths and ecclesiastical garments or perhaps wine and glassware.
Dimensions
Max height: 2000mm / 79"Max width: 750mm / 29½"
Max depth: 420mm / 16½"