Lot Essay
Martin-Guillaume Biennais (1764-1843) of rue St. Honoré, ébéniste, held the post under Napoleon of 'Orfevre de Sa Majesté l'Empereur et Roi'.
Watercolour designs from the Biennais workshops, now in the Bibliothèque des Arts Décoratifs, Paris, are attributed to Charles Percier, co-author with Pierre Fontaine of Recueil de Décorations Int'aerieurs, 1812, which illustrates related 'Grecian' furnishings to the present lot.
A related petite psyché, bearing the stamp of Biennais, is recorded in the collection of Prince Napoleon. The same Antique Janus-therm supports appear on another petite psyché in the collection of Mme. H. Lefuel, illustrated in Denise Ledoux-Lebard, Le Mobilier Français du XIX Siècle, 1984, pp. 86, 87, and related supports appear on another likewise with sheild-shaped mirror at Malmaison, illustrated in S. Roche, Miroirs, Paris, 1956, fig. 97, very similar to the present lot.
As recounted by the poet Apuleus, that most beautiful of mortals, Psyche, regained Cupid's love through the recovery of the toilet box of Venus. A shield-shape in therefore doubly appropriated for a toilette glass or Psyche, as also recalling the ancient poet's concept of a targe or target for love's arrows strung between supports, often of therm form
Watercolour designs from the Biennais workshops, now in the Bibliothèque des Arts Décoratifs, Paris, are attributed to Charles Percier, co-author with Pierre Fontaine of Recueil de Décorations Int'aerieurs, 1812, which illustrates related 'Grecian' furnishings to the present lot.
A related petite psyché, bearing the stamp of Biennais, is recorded in the collection of Prince Napoleon. The same Antique Janus-therm supports appear on another petite psyché in the collection of Mme. H. Lefuel, illustrated in Denise Ledoux-Lebard, Le Mobilier Français du XIX Siècle, 1984, pp. 86, 87, and related supports appear on another likewise with sheild-shaped mirror at Malmaison, illustrated in S. Roche, Miroirs, Paris, 1956, fig. 97, very similar to the present lot.
As recounted by the poet Apuleus, that most beautiful of mortals, Psyche, regained Cupid's love through the recovery of the toilet box of Venus. A shield-shape in therefore doubly appropriated for a toilette glass or Psyche, as also recalling the ancient poet's concept of a targe or target for love's arrows strung between supports, often of therm form