{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O59211"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O59211/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AX3679/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AX3679/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006AX3679","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006AT2711","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006AV1107","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006AT2709","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O59211/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O59211","accessionNumber":"W.3-1988","objectType":"Chair","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"This chair formed part of the furniture of the royal residence of Racconigi, outside Turin. It was designed by Filippo Pelagio Palagi (1775-1860), Italy’s leading decorator during the period 1825-1850. Palagi undertook all aspects of interior design, from murals to curtain pelmets. He employed a wide range of craftsmen. Among them was Gabrielle Cappello (1806-1876), known as ‘Moncalvo’, who made this marquetry chair.\r\n\r\nPalagi completed his work at Racconigi by 1845. But his patron, Carlo Alberto I of Sardinia (reigned 1831-1849), enjoyed it for only a few years. The king abdicated in 1849, after a crushing defeat by the Austrians at Novara. He died in exile in Portugal a few months later.","physicalDescription":"Mahogany, veneered in maple and mahogany.  Modern upholstery.  The frame is decorated with anthemion motifs.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Palagi, Filippo Pelagio","id":"A5512"},"association":{"text":"designer","id":"AAT25190"},"note":""},{"name":{"text":"Cappello, Gabrielle","id":"A5513"},"association":{"text":"maker","id":"AAT251917"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"mahogany","id":"AAT12221"},{"text":"maple","id":"AAT12242"}],"techniques":[{"text":"inlay (process)","id":"AAT53850"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Maple and mahogany veneer, on a mahogany carcase","categories":[{"text":"Furniture","id":"THES48948"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"FWK","id":"THES48597"},"images":["2006AX3679","2006AT2711","2006AV1107","2006AT2709"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"001","id":"THES342863"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Chair","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Turin","id":"x32500"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1838-1840","earliest":"1838-01-01","latest":"1840-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"99","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"53.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Depth","value":"48.8","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"'IIII'","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"chisel-marked","position":"front seat rail","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"front seat rail; chisel-marked"}],"objectHistory":"This chair formed part of a major suite of furniture for the royal Drawing Room and adjacent Bedchamber designed by Pelagio Pelagi for the Castelloi di Racconigi, the gothic revival hunting lodge near Turin belonging to King Carlo Alberto I of Sardinia.\r\n\r\nPurchased from Old Master Ltd, London.\n\nHistorical significance: Cappello, known as 'il Moncalvo', developed a new inlay technique for the Racconigi furniture, which consisted of taking two sheets of wood of different colours, cutting out the motif on the upper one, and hollowing out the lower one to receive it. This created an extremely smooth surface, which played on the contrasts between light and dark woods, and allowed particularly rapid execution.","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Italian, Piedmont, 1833-5, des. Pelagio Pelagi","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Wilk, Christopher. <font -u>Western Furniture 1350 to Present Day: In the Victoria and Albert Museum London</font>. London: Philip Wilson Publishers Limited, 1976, p146-147.\r\nISBN: 1856674435"}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"anthemions","id":"AAT9982"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"Europe and America 1800-1900, room 101\r\n\r\nCHAIR\r\n1838-40\n\nPalagi worked mainly in Bologna but in 1832 he went to Turin at the invitation of King Charles Albert of Sardinia. There he became Director of the School of Ornament at the Academy of Arts and also designed many interiors for the king. Palagi was passionately interested in archaeology, and the cresting of this chair shows his knowledge of Etruscan bronzes.\r\n\r\nItaly, Turin; designed by Filippo Pelagio Palagi for the Castello di Racconigi; made in the workshops of Gabrielle Cappello\r\nMaple and mahogany veneer on a carcase of mahogany; original upholstery of blue and white damask replaced\r\n\r\n\r\n","date":{"text":"05/08/2015","earliest":"2015-08-05","latest":"2015-08-05"}}],"partNumbers":["W.3-1988"],"accessionNumberNum":"3","accessionNumberPrefix":"W","accessionYear":1988,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":["2019LW1547"],"recordModificationDate":"2025-08-06","recordCreationDate":"2001-05-24","availableToBook":true}}