4th anniversary of the recovery of the Chest of Drawers of Charles III

Secret drawers, private rooms and a jewel of Rococo furniture. This Sunday marked four years of the recovery of the "Gasparini” chest of drawers of Charles III, by Patrimonio Nacional. The institution was able to locate and purchase it at a Christie’s auction in New York on 29th October 2019, after it had been lost for more than two centuries.  

Mattia Gasparini designed the “three cabinets of wood from the Indies” for the king on his arrival at the Royal Palace of Madrid from Naples. Built between 1764 and 1769, it was part of a set of four chests of drawers in the king's office. The cabinetmaker José Canops executed, with wood from America, the design conceived by the Italian painter. According to Mario Mateos, curator of the furniture collection of Patrimonio Nacional, "it is one of a kind, along with its companion pieces, due to the materials and the building techniques used".  

At the end of the 18th century, the furniture in Charles III’s office was removed from their original location, which led to the loss of this spectacular example of cabinetmaking. After it was recovered, the chest of drawers was restored by the cabinetmaker Miguel Ángel Ortega in the workshops of Patrimonio Nacional. This process was especially focused on the marquetry and veneers of the fine woods, a highly complex challenge due to the delicate nature of the decorations. Currently, it can be seen on Floor -2 of the Royal Collections Gallery.