Tray In Wood And Arte Povera - The Marches, Italy - Early Eighteenth Century

This pretty wooden tray was made in the early 18th century in the Marche region of Italy. With a very curved shape, this tray was originally intended to overcome a table. In addition to a pretty frieze making up the border of the central top, this top is enriched with arte povera, a decorative technique that can be compared to “paper marquetry”. This method, originating in Venice, radiated throughout Europe during the 18th century. The tray has the inscription "N°2" at the bottom right of the composition. On this plateau, stands out against a blue sky made with paint and not in arte povera, a gallant scene in shades of sepia. In a bucolic decor characteristic of the enthusiasm for nature in the 18th century, there are a few houses and a staircase on the right, a group of putti playing on the left and finally in the center two couples and a flock of sheep. The eye is drawn to the couple at the heart of the composition, the man wearing red clothing, the only colorful touch in the scene. These seem to reject the intruders who surprised them, that is to say the other couple, who are shepherds who have come to recover their animals.