The vargueno, which combined Eastern and Western elements in a harmonious way, is the piece of furniture most characteristic of Spain.

A distinctive type of Renaissance furniture art evolved in Spain, since Arab influences that had arrived during the 700 years of Moorish rule lived on, imparting an unmistakable local character to furniture. As well as walnut and poplar, the wood of chestnut, orange and lemon trees was used, enhancing the exotic character of furniture. Sometimes bone inlay covering the entire surface or embellishment fashioned from minutely carved or lathe-turned beads shows a Middle Eastern influence. In the workshops of Spanish craftsmen, and in those of Muslim craftsmen who had converted to Christianity, various different types of casket were made. Not least of these was the portable writing casket supplied with a fold-down lid that served as the writing surface.

In essence, the writing cabinet ("vargueno" or "bargueno") was a larger version of a portable writing casket ("escrittorio") placed on a table. Behind the fold-down writing surface of our simple, box-like casket there are drawers embellished with symmetrically arranged, lathe-turned baluster forms, as well as with bone inlay and gilding. In the middle there is a small compartment supplied with a door. Worthy of note are the gilded metal handles, pulls and other mountings integrated as decorative elements.

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