96 - Writing desk; Andalusia, Spain, c. 1700.

Writing desk; Andalusia, Spain, c. 1700. Pine and cedar wood. Some parts date from a later period. It shows signs of restoration, the lock is missing, and one apron is missing. Measurements: 51 x 73 x 34 cm; 75 x 86 x 47 cm. A writing desk in the Spanish Baroque tradition, made in Andalusia around 1700, which exemplifies a type of furniture designed to combine functionality, organization, and prestige. Its architectural structure, characterized by a compact cabinet and a geometrically composed front, recalls the models of writing desks and storage furniture developed in Spain during the 17th and early 18th centuries. Pieces of this type occupied a prominent place in the domestic interiors of the period, where the writing desk served as both a practical element and an object of distinction. Intended for writing, document storage, and the safekeeping of small valuables, its interior could be organized using drawers and hard-to-reach compartments, some of which were concealed. Its association with Andalusia is particularly significant in the context of peninsular furniture production in the late 17th and early 18th centuries, characterized by the continued use of traditional structural solutions and the incorporation of a more dynamic ornamental style. Some of the parts date from a later period. It has been restored; the lock is missing, and one skirt panel is missing.