An Italian parcel-gilt, lacquered and arte povera bureau, Venice, circa 1750

This bureau is a charming example of an arte povera furniture piece produced in Venice in the 18th century, here presenting a pleasant balance between colours, figurative scenes and flowers. The term arte povera literally means “poor art” or “pauper’s art,” and describes an eighteenth‑century technique in which lacquer was imitated by placing cut‑out prints beneath layers of varnish. This approach emerged as a clever solution to the strong European enthusiasm for East Asian lacquerware, which inspired numerous creative attempts to reproduce its appearance. Although variations existed, the arte povera technique is particularly linked with Venice, where artisans often arranged printed figures and scenes in a découpage‑style composition on a painted background, finishing the piece with a glossy varnish known as sandracca to mimic the shine of true lacquer. The resulting works are typically lively and colourful, drawing on a broad range of vibrant hues and depicting everything from European landscapes to figurative scenes, offering a spirited reimagining of their lacquer inspirations.

A similar example though clearly attributed to Giacomo Locatelli was sold at Replica Shoes 's, London, 25 September 2025, lot 76, see as well a pair of bureaux that sold at Replica Shoes ’s, London, The Italian Furniture from the Collection of Giuseppe Rossi, 10 March 1999, lot 126.