Rustic three-drawer chest in pine wood, polychromed in green and originating from the Tyrolean–Central European tradition, dated around 1890. A piece of domestic folk furniture halfway between a peasant bedroom chest and a main storage cabinet, representative of the Alpine and Bohemian rural furniture of the late 19th century.
In the rural houses of the Alps and Bohemia, the painted chest of drawers was the principal piece in the marital bedroom: the family’s few personal objects sat on top, while textiles, winter clothing and trousseau were stored inside. Green paint was common in the Tyrolean and Bavarian region, where it is associated with local timber and 19th-century domestic decoration.
It is built from solid pine boards, with a front of three moulded drawers and carved side pilasters. The original hardware — wrought-iron hanging-ring pulls and square brass escutcheons — is in place. The joinery uses concealed dovetails on the drawers, and the back is made of vertical nailed boards.
The patina is the most expressive feature: the original green paint has worn naturally on the edges and rub zones, revealing the red ground beneath and, in places, the bare pine. The top shows scattered chips, inevitable in artisanal paintwork of the period. This living surface, with two colours in dialogue, is the principal aesthetic value of the piece.
Thanks to its saturated colour and expressive surface, it works very well in contemporary rustic, bohemian, Mediterranean warm-toned or eclectic interiors, where it can serve as a bedroom chest of drawers, an entrance unit with presence, a sideboard in a dining room or an anchor piece in a children’s room. Its height makes it ideal to support a mirror without overloading the composition.
Details
- Dimensions: Width: 111 cm Depth: 48 cm Height: 94 cm
- Style: Central European rustic, Tyrolean tradition
- Materials and techniques: Pine wood; dovetailed drawers; original green paintwork over a red ground; original wrought-iron and brass hardware
- Place of origin: Central Europe (Tyrolean tradition)
- Period: Late 19th century
- Date of manufacture: Circa 1890
- Condition: Good. Original patina and paintwork. Natural wear of the polychromy on edges and use areas
This piece is part of the curated collection of Amaru Antiques, Barcelona.
ONE OF A KIND PIECE
