Category: Furniture

The chest of drawers is veneered and inlaid, featuring two gracefully designed drawers. It stands on stylised pied-de-biche legs with convoluted ornamentation at the base. On the top surface and drawers, there are two inlays each within oval panels with figurative representations. On the top surface, one oval inlay depicts a stag, while the other oval inlay portrays a hunter with a rifle and a dog. The drawers contain inlaid panels depicting a man in one oval and a woman in the other. The drawers have subtly designed metal handles with keyholes.

The technique of marquetry, decorating wooden objects by embedding elements of different types of wood or materials, was inspired by ornamental mosaics. In older examples of marquetry, known as stile alla certosina, geometric shapes prevail, while botanical and figurative motifs are introduced later. Initially, marquetry artisans mostly worked on church furniture, and only later did the technique start being applied to other household furniture.

The three-legged chair with a backrest is an example of traditional chairs from the Dinaric-Dalmatian region that were part of the furnishings in rural homes and were recorded under the names of tronog/tronožac, katriga, or sto(lac). They date back to the second half of the 19^th century, noting that in some places, they sporadically persisted almost until the middle of the 20^th century. Based on their shape, it is assumed that they have medieval origins, which is supported by the very role of an honorary seat. Indeed, this chair had a special role in traditional households, where it was intended for the oldest member of the family, signifying their authority, and sometimes it was offered to a dear guest.

This particular piece, belonging to the rural furnishings of the so-called Dinaric or mountain cultural circle, was likely crafted at the end of the 19^th century. In the rural homes of this region, extending beyond Croatia, it was a unique and representative piece of furniture crafted by skilled men, often for their own needs.

The presence of this rural chair in a bourgeois context is a result of the enthusiasm of the bourgeois class at the end of the 19^th and beginning of the 20^th century for examples of folk spirit found in the rural homes of that time.

Small stools with upholstered seats but no backrests. Four lathe-turned legs are connected at the centre by wooden bars. Vlaho Bukovac had several of these chairs, as depicted in many photographs from his studio. These stools appear most frequently in the photo documentation of the Bukovac House. During painting sessions, Bukovac often sat on these or on Thonet chairs, and they are consistently present in the studio space, where they remain today.

The four beechwood chairs feature an inset seat and backrest made of impregnated, pressed, ornamented leather. The leather bears an embossed ornament composed of convoluted motifs with a masqueron in the central part, above which is a vase with flowers. The legs and backrest are made of profiled lathe-turned wood.

The leather inserted inside the wooden frame is secured with brass rivets. Four baluster legs are joined at the bottom by an “H” crossbeam.

During the 19^th century, furniture design witnessed a proliferation of revival styles that completely adopted the designs of earlier stylistic periods. In the last quarter of the 19^th century in Croatia, especially in the continental region, furniture imitating the German Renaissance, the so-called altdeutsch, became exceptionally popular.

As technology has advanced and manufacturing shifted from manual to machine-based processes, there has been an increase in cost-effective production, making furniture more readily available. Machine turning and the use of machinery for carving and pressing leather gave objects a touch of luxury, now-accessible to many.

The interior design trend in the 19^th century dictated that each room be decorated in a different style.

The square or slightly rectangular table features four lathe-turned, intricately profiled baluster legs. At the bottom, it is joined by an “X” crossbeam featuring a diamond-cut seal at its central part. The table’s body is adorned with fluting and shallow engraved lines, while leafy motifs embellish the edges. On the sides, there are two metal handles used for extending and enlarging the table surface.

During the 19^th century, furniture design witnessed a proliferation of revival styles that completely adopted the designs of earlier stylistic periods. In the last quarter of the 19^th century in Croatia, especially in the continental region, furniture imitating the German Renaissance, the so-called altdeutsch, became exceptionally popular.

Eight Thonet chairs of various models: Model 14, Model 18, and Model 56. The seat is made of woven cane, while the structure is constructed from steam-bent beechwood.

Only nine Thonet chairs were found in the Bukovac House (KB-144 and KB-389/1-8), but undoubtedly, there were more in the apartments where Vlaho Bukovac stayed, as shown and confirmed by numerous photographs from the Bukovac House.

For more on the Thonet chairs, see description KB-144.

The semi-circular console table is made of spruce veneered with walnut. Besides the central lathe-turned support, the table is also upheld by two curved-shaped supports. The console table most likely belonged to Vlaho Bukovac’s parents and was part of the hallway furniture. It is now located in Vlaho Bukovac’s studio.

The sofa (Louis Philippe style), locally known as kanapa, with a diagonally sloping curved backrest and a higher headrest, is upholstered in brown velvet and framed with veneered wood. It stands on four lathe-turned legs. According to an inventory found in the Bukovac House in the 1950s, the sofa was located in the hallway of the house’s first floor and is now part of the setup in Vlaho Bukovac’s studio.

The cabinet made of veneered wood consists of two parts adorned with a subtle floral decoration. The lower part features double-winged doors and two drawers, while the upper part has glazed doors with shelves. The cabinet is topped with an arched pediment.

In the setup of the Bukovac House, this cabinet is placed in the hallway on the first floor and it contains family books, blotters, and writing utensils.

The secretary desk has simple lines and is veneered with walnut. In the lower part, there are double-winged, glazed doors decorated with two mirrored semi-circular slats stained in black. The upper part is closed with a folding top that, when pulled out and lowered, transforms into a writing desk. Inside, there is a series of small drawers and compartments used for storing letters and writing utensils. This secretary, which served as Vlaho Bukovac’s writing desk, was donated to the Bukovac House by Mr. Pavo Vukić, who acquired it from a private collection to make it accessible to the public.

The secretary is featured in several photographs and reproductions at the Bukovac House, from which it is evident that the secretary was previously located in Prague.