Wooden tray Arte Povera, 18th century Venice

This oval-shaped tray is made of lacquered wood according to a technique developed in Venice in the middle of the 18th century, called "Arte Povera" or "Lacca Povera". On a varnished background, colored engravings are glued. The whole is covered with several layers of transparent varnish, the sandarac.
Originally, this technique was intended to imitate Asian lacquers, which were highly sought after at the time but very expensive. Then, the artists took more freedom. In Venice, all the palazzi were decorated with doors, chests of drawers, cabinets, boxes, mirrors... in arte povera. The taste for the decorations with figures evolves towards floral decorations. But with the arrival of the neoclassical style, this technique is abandoned, too much fantasy and color for this new taste more orderly.
Here, the decor combines characters and floral motifs. On a stage, three ladies and two men are dancing. Two dogs accompany them. Garlands of flowers hang all around. Two birds are flying on either side of the group. A frieze of scrolls and hand-colored volutes emphasizes the oval of the tray. The curved edges are decorated with masks. On the reverse, the green background is speckled to evoke the stone.

A few missing pieces, a crack and old restorations.
Size (H x W x D) : 2,5 x 59 x 38 cm