21/04/2026
Sit back and relax in these armchairs and travel to an 18th century Venetian palace !
Circle of Andrea BRUSTOLON
(Belluno, 1662 - Belluno, 1732)
‘The Michelangelo of Wood’
A unique pair of armchairs decorated with child musicians and telamons in the round against a naturalistic background
Patinated wood (probably poplar), velvet, embroidery
Venice
Early 18th century
H. 102; W. 95; D. 78 cm. (overall)
H. 49.5 cm. (seat)
H. 57 cm. (backrest)
Full study and price upon request.
Our pair of armchairs lies at the intersection of several trends characteristic of late 17th-century Venice: an enduring taste for the exotic, the final flourish of the Baroque, a creative effervescence in the field of sculpture, but also inventive reinterpretations and the gradual adaptation of furniture to the evolving demands of both comfort and representation. From this perspective, the hypothesis that they were commissioned for the music room of a Venetian palace seems particularly plausible: the presence of the musician figures, the theatricality of the structure and the richness of the decoration suggest a space dedicated to aristocratic socialising, where the furniture, much like the musical performance itself, plays a full part in showcasing the patron’s taste and status. These seats, both functional objects and sculpted works, thus encapsulate the Venetian ambition to turn everyday life into a veritable spectacle of refinement, where art, music and social prestige come together in a single sensory experience.