Coffee table - Various wood and parquetry

Center table D. Maria. Portugal, 1900, executed in pau-santo wood, with delicate inlays in pau-cetim and pau-rosa, according to the neoclassical language characteristic of D. Maria-style furniture. It features a hexagonal top, with strict and balanced lines, enriched by a careful geometric composition of veneers and inlays. The surface is organized into successive concentric reserves, defined by contrasting fillets, creating an elegant effect of depth and symmetry. At the center stands a geometric hexagonal reserve, formed by the radial arrangement of the wood grain and framed by light inlays. From this composition, successive bands of pau-santo are laid out in different directions, taking advantage of the tones and the natural grain of the wood. The perimeter of the top is underscored by alternating fillets and inlays in pau-cetim and pau-rosa, forming discreet geometric and dentilled motifs. The top presents a slightly protruding and molded edge, following entirely the hexagonal drawing of the table. The waist, equally hexagonal in configuration, is composed of six flat faces, each decorated with paired lines of small square inlays arranged alternately, forming continuous bands with a dotted or checkered effect. At the intersections of the different faces there are vertical reserves that are more sober, establishing the transition to the legs. It rests on six high, straight and slightly tapered legs, corresponding to the vertices of the top, of elegant and slender design, typical of the neoclassical repertoire. The legs feature discreet inlaid fillets that emphasize their verticality. The structural sobriety of the piece contrasts with the richness provided by the choice of woods and the precision of the inlays. Pau-santo, with a deep hue and pronounced grain, is enlivened by the lighter tones of pau-cetim and the warm notes of pau-rosa, producing a refined chromatic play without resorting to excessive ornamentation. The geometric composition, symmetry, tapered legs, and the use of fillets and inlays of contrasting woods are particularly representative of D. Maria’s taste, in Portugal marked by the assimilation of European neoclassical currents and by a preference for furniture with light lines and restrained decoration.

Origin: Portugal
Era: 1900
Style: Portuguese Neoclassical
Main wood: pau-santo
Inlays: pau-cetim and pau-rosa
Top: hexagonal, with geometric composition of veneers and contrasting fillets
Waist: hexagonal, decorated with bands of small geometric inlays
Legs: six, straight and tapered, with inlaid fillets
Dimensions: 78 cm height × 84 cm maximum width