19th Century Bavarian Folk Marriage Armoire, 1828

Code: 10671

Dimensions:

c1828. From a South German hamlet outside of Schliersee near the Austrian border comes this outstanding dated marriage armoire.
The area had innumerable small mixed farms with a dozen of so cows and some arable.
The armoires were commissioned to celebrate marriages and were shown with pride at the wedding banquet.
Parents saved for years to afford the most beautifully decorated pieces to flaunt at the feast. Good examples are hard to come by.
We were lucky enough to eventually purchase a private collection with three museum quality examples.
The blue-grey ground is wonderful and supports two folksy essentially neoclassical (or at least local interpretations of) bouquets or posies in urns bordered by decorative columns. Effectively Bavarian farmers idea of Palladian splendour.
The artist was much practiced and skilful, framing the piece with faux marbling on the cornice and door closure strip.
The natural earth pigments  fade little with time.
It is an exemplary, charming and beautiful piece of folk art as well as a functional piece of furniture.