19th c. Painted Cupboard

Painted cupboards like this one stood in the kitchens and pantries of the Rhône-Alpes, made by a village carpenter and kept fresh with whatever paint was on hand. Found in Villeneuve-lès-Avignon, it dates to the 19th century, a tall narrow case with a single glazed door up top over a solid panel below, still wearing its old cream paint. The upper half was glazed so the everyday dishes could be seen behind the glass, while the closed lower cupboard kept the rest out of sight, a simple way to store a kitchen when a room had only one piece to do it. Sylvie keeps it in the kitchen with the glass shelves holding the plates and glasses she reaches for daily, the paint left worn exactly as it came.