I usually work from straight-on front or side views, but all I had this time were perspective views from the 1stdibs.com web site. So I started the model with Photo Match. I'm actually surprised that it worked.
Thanks, everyone.
I agree that the piece is a little unsettling, and that it's more like a canvas than a piece of furniture. Interesting nonetheless. I can see it at home in a large European salon, surrounded by swags of damask curtains and lots of gilded and overstuffed furniture.
It always astounds me to see the quality and craftsmanship of pre-industrial pieces like this.
But maybe one advantage that the craftsmen had in that era — at least those lucky enough to have the support of a patron, like the Emperor — is that they could take the time necessary to produce such work, without having to worry about whether they could still afford food and rent.
