Stunning 16th French Walnut Carved Cabinet From Val De Loire

Haute Epoque / Renaissance

Stunning diminutive cabinet or buffet with withdrawal, blond walnut richly carved.
Late XVIth century, and probably from Loire Valley (France) ?

The 2 parts are each decorated with 4 main mythological thema wooden carved panels (including Leyda and swan, the Abduction of Europe,...)

The upper part consists of, from top to bottom
*a cornice with protruding angles, supported by architectural corbels from the main façade to both sides of the furniture
*an horizontal 5 carved panels pediment including the central one depicting an elongated female nude, the 2 medians of 2 sleeping angels turning their backs, and the 2 lateral ones decorating top of the pillars also protruding, creating a slight perspective and unity with the cornice
*2 doors with their original locks and keys framed by 2 registers of decorative friezes and 2 protruding pilasters (creating a unity with the offsets of the cornice) decorated with detached and twinned double columns with repeated floral pattern
*and a thin and long lower drawer with stylized and symmetrical vegetal decoration typical from Renaissance design

The lower part on 3 levels consists of
*an upper any old house or apartment.register scanned by 2 drawers and 3 crows with acanthus leaves
*2 main doors and their similar ornamental frames, reproducing the exact construction of the cabinet upper part and creating a real unity between the 2 parts of the furniture. They are framed and separated by 3 flat pilasters still richly carved, with symmetrical plant motifs perfectly in the Renaissance spirit and mythological female nudes...
*and a molded plaster wooden base surmounted by a rush carved with floral design

Sizes 180cm height * Length 107cm and width 50cm.
Its proportions and balance are relatively small and this harmonious, shallow piece of furniture can easily find its place in the interior ofDimensions 180cm height * Length 107cm and width 50cm. The proportions are relatively small and this harmonious, shallow and shallow piece of furniture can easily find its place in any old house or apartment.