The distinctive frieze with facing griffins serves as a sort of signature of the cabinetmaker Gaspare Bassani, one of the most prominent followers of Giuseppe Maggiolini, active in Milan at the end of the 18th century. The griffin motif likely originates from Giacomo Albertolli, a Swiss-born decorator who supplied Maggiolini and other cabinetmakers with a wealth of iconographic designs.

Particularly noteworthy is the inlay on the fall-front panel, depicting a Group of Dancers clearly inspired by Pompeian archaeological themes, making this secrétaire a fine example of neoclassical taste.

On the back, a label from the 1938 Giuseppe Maggiolini exhibition at the Museo di Milano, no. 76, notes the piece as property of the Marchesa Anna Casati Visconti di San Vito.

Height: 153 cm (60¼ in.)
Width: 82 cm (32¼ in.)
Depth: 36 cm (14⅛ in.)