Mid-1950s Italian Intarsia Interior Scene, Luigi Buder - 10¾" x 9"

This small Italian marquetry picture, dating from the mid-1950s, is composed from carefully cut and inlaid woods in contrasting warm tones. The scene shows a figure at work over a long plank or bench in a sparse interior, with a cat in the foreground and a landscape visible through the open window. The checkerboard floor, exposed ceiling beams and sharply receding lines create a strong sense of perspective, making the room feel almost like a stage set. The figure’s old-fashioned costume and slightly exaggerated pose reinforce that theatrical quality, hinting at the visual world of the Commedia dell’Arte.

That ambiguity and slightly mysterious subject are a large part of the work’s appeal. There is an almost storybook simplicity to the naïve representation, yet the scene itself remains strangely enigmatic, somewhere between a straightforward image of a tradesman at work and a staged, symbolic tableau. The marquetry technique adds another layer of interest, drawing on the long Italian tradition of intarsia, in which contrasting woods were used to create intricate architectural perspectives and trompe-l’oeil effects.

Originating from Chiavari, the work may be by Luigi Buder (d.1984), a Chiavari artist and master intarsiatore. A 2004 exhibition of his work focused on pieces dating from the 1950s, noting the influence of Carrà, De Chirico and Morandi and the suspended, poetic atmosphere of his compositions.

It is in good vintage condition, with light surface scratches and an older polish wearing away in places, adding to its sense of age. Ideal for a gallery wall, above a desk or within a bookcase arrangement, where its craftsmanship and slightly enigmatic narrative would bring an intriguing, erudite note.