Andrea Picchi (1823 in Florence – ?), was a well-known ebonist who framed works of art for aristocratic clients ("Prestigious orders from imperial and aristocratic customers rolled in for ANDREA PICCHI and Paolo Fanfani, designers in some respects imprisoned by a past both sought after and beloved but also perhaps hortus conclusus and extremely difficult to escape").

Works

For Olga Nikolaevna Romanova

For Grand Duchess Olga Nikolaevna Romanova, he framed a pair of tondi after paintings by

Fra Angelico Fra Angelico, O.P. (; ; born Guido di Pietro; 18 February 1455) was a Dominican friar and Italian Renaissance painter of the Early Renaissance, described by Giorgio Vasari in his ''Lives of the Artists'' as having "a rare and perfect talent" ...

(15th century), executed by Diomede della Bruna, a Florentine painter born in 1839 ( "Elaborate, octagonal Baroque style frame with flame-carved border, ebony with part-gilt bronze fittings and 16 set carnelians each. On the verso the Florentine frame maker's label "Ebanista Andrea Picchi". 46 cm diameter each").

For Umberto I and Queen Margherita of Savoy

He also framed for

Umberto I Umberto I (; 14 March 1844 – 29 July 1900) was King of Italy from 9 January 1878 until his assassination in 1900. His reign saw Italy's expansion into the Horn of Africa, as well as the creation of the Triple Alliance among Italy, Germany an ...

and his wife

Queen Margherita of Savoy Margherita of Savoy (''Margherita Maria Teresa Giovanna''; 20 November 1851 – 4 January 1926) was Queen of Italy by marriage to her first cousin King Umberto I of Italy. She was the daughter of Prince Ferdinando of Savoy, Duke of Genoa and P ...

, two works by Tito Chelazzi - an oil painting of daisies (after the queen's name, ''Margherita'', which means "daisy") and a mirror (roses thea painted on glass) the royal couple had commissioned from this painter, he too a sought after artist by European royal families.

For the 1867 Paris Exhibition

After some years in Via della Vigna Nuova, Picchi moved to Via Maggio, 28, where he developed his artistry in carving ebony, a dense yet fine textured black wood. But his masterpiece in carving would be the exceptionally beautiful ebony and ivory cabinet in the style of the

Italian Renaissance The Italian Renaissance ( ) was a period in History of Italy, Italian history between the 14th and 16th centuries. The period is known for the initial development of the broader Renaissance culture that spread across Western Europe and marked t ...

Picchi presented in the

1867 Paris Exhibition The of 1867 (), better known in English as the 1867 Paris Exposition, was a world's fair held in Paris, France, from 1 April to 3 November 1867. It was the second of ten major expositions held in the city between 1855 and 1937. A number of nat ...

, though with "a marked similarity in this design to that of a 17th century cabinet(...)"as Frederick Litchfiel points out in his History of Furniture.Illustrated History of Furniture from the Earliest to the Present Time, by Frederick Litchfield In fact, when comparing the pictures of the two cabinets in Litchfiel's book, one may doubt if it is a mere coincidence or not. Nevertheless Picchi's cabinet remains a jewel of carving and an example of mastering ivory and ebony. Now in oblivion, only his oval stamp on the verso of some ebony framed works of the 19th century calls out "Andrea Picchi, ebanista, Via Maggio, No. 28, Firenze".

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Picchi, Andrea Cabinetmakers Businesspeople from Florence Grand Duchy of Tuscany people 1823 births Year of death missing