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Lot Essay
André-Charles Boulle (1642-1732), ébéniste, ciseleur, doreur et sculpteur du Roi in 1672.
This desk is one of a sizeable body of bureaux plats that can with confidence be attributed to the greatest ébéniste of the late ré-Charles Boulle. Among the well-known series of drawings of furniture attributed to Boulle at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris there are two designs of writing tables, both of which clearly relate to the present example that combines elements from the two (A. Pradère, Les Ébénistes Français de Louis XIV à la Révolution, Paris, 1989, Fig. 36). The curved legs headed by satyr's masks and the central mount of a grinning mask occur on one drawing, whereas the other shows the forceful mounts of scrolled acanthus leaves that separate the drawers on the present desk. On this second drawing, the legs rest on lion's paws and are headed by female heads. Nearly identical legs are found on a third drawing of a comparable writing-table in the Cooper-Hewitt Museum in New York (T. Dell, The Frick Collection, An Illustrated Catalogue, vol. V, Furniture, Italian and French, p. 209, fig. 2). This is signed by one of the foremost designers of the Régence period, Giles-Marie Oppenordt (1672-1742) who is known to have collaborated with Boulle and to whom the drawings at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs are also sometimes attributed.
In 1720, a fire destroyed part of Boulle's workshop, after which an inventory was made up of its contents that in large part had perished. It is headed by the furniture belonging to the Duc de Bourbon that was saved; the first item is a bureau of six feet long. Among the destroyed furniture there were another five bureaux, decorated with marquetry of brass and tortoiseshell and between five and six feet long, as well as two examples veneered with wood 'de couleur' and a further twelve bureaux of six feet in various states of completion (Read, Richard, Lacordaire and Montaiglon, 'Pierre et Charles-André Boulle ébénistes de Louis XIII et Louis XIV', Archives de l'Art Français 4 (1855-'56), p. 336). Clearly, bureaux plats were produced in considerable quantities in Boulle's workshop. Marquetry of brass and tortoiseshell, on the present desk executed in contre-partie with the dark designs outlined on the pale brass ground, was of the course one of the main specialities of Boulle who gave his name to this technique.
The mounts on this desk all form part of Boulle's répertoire and several may be recognized on the furniture designs by him that were published by Jean Mariette in a series of eight engravings (J.-P. Samoyault, André-Charles Boulle et sa famille, Genève 1979, figs. 6-13). The grinning masks on the central drawer fronts probably represent the laughing philosopher, Democrites. On some comparable desks, it is paired with a mask of the weeping philosopher, Heraclites (see for instance P. Hughes, The Wallace Collection, Catalogue of Furniture, London 1996, no. 158 (F427)). Models for masques d'Héraclite et de Démocrite were listed in the inventory of Boulle's possessions made up after his death in 1732 (Samoyault, op. cit., p. 138, no. 21).
RELATED EXAMPLES
Among the bureaux plats attributed to Boulle, several types may be recognized, distinguished by their shape and outline and by the mounts employed. The present writing table, with its legs headed by satyr's masks, is closely related to an example in the J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles (G. Wilson and C. Hess, Summary Catalogue of European Decorative Arts in the J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles 2001, no. 57) and to a second, almost identical one in the Royal Collection at Windsor Castle (H. Roberts, For the King's pleasure, The furnishing and decoration of George IV's apartments at Windsor Castle, London 2001, p. 145, fig. 168). Another one is in the Frick Collection in New York (Dell, op. cit., pp. 204-214). All these examples are in contre-partie. A première partie bureau of closely related form but with a number of different mounts is in the Wallace Collection (Hughes, loc. cit.). Closest of all to the present table are a pair in the collection of the Duke of Devonshire at Chatsworth in Derbyshire, one in première partie and the other in contre-partie (J. Lees-Milne and J. Cornforth, 'Chatsworth', Country Life 164 (1968), pts. II (18 April), fig. 10, and VII (1 August), fig. 2. These are distinguished by the tall sabots of the early model also found on the present bureau and more usually associated with a well-known type of console shown in one of Mariette's engravings, where they are again combined with satyr's masks (O. Hughes, op. cit., nos. 160 and 161). The other tables cited have sabots of a scrolled, openwork model that is more Régence in feeling. Also, the Chatsworth desks share the idiosyncracy of the present table, that the scrolled marquetry design on the legs is not continued along the lower edges of the sides. These features may indicate that the present desk and the two at Chatsworth are the earliest of this particular series. The pattern of the marquetry on the sides and ends, typified by a particularly dense pattern with multiple scrolls issuing from the central masks, also seems to be unique to these three tables; on the others the design is somewhat lighter and airier, perhaps again pointing to a development in time.
BOULLE BUREAUX PLATS IN ENGLISH REGENCY COLLECTIONS
The English lock of the table may be dated to the years 1820-1830 and the leather top also appears to be English of the same period. Sadly, it is not known to which early 19th-century British collector the desk has belonged. Equally, it is not recorded in the literature if the two bureaux at Chatsworth were part of the collection of Boulle furniture assembled by the 6th Duke of Devonshire (succeeded to the title in 1811-1858), but this seems likely. Following the lead of the Prince Regent, later King George IV, a large number of English noblemen more or less closely connected with his circle shared a taste for 'Buhl' furniture and many Boulle pieces may be traced to their collections in which large writing-tables were undoubtedly among the most highly prized items. George IV himself had his Boulle bureau plat moved from the Library at his discarded residence at Carlton House to his private Sitting Room at Windsor Castle in 1828 (Roberts, op. cit., p. 139, account no. 242). The table now at the Wallace Collection may have belonged to the King's brother, the Duke of York, whose collection was sold at Christie's in 1827. Other Boulle bureaux plats from early 19th-century British collections include two examples acquired by Thomas, 2nd Earl de Grey (1781-1859) for Wrest Park, Bedfordshire (sold Christie's, London, 15 June 1995, lot 33, and Sotheby's Paris, 23 June 2004, lot 38, respectively); a rare example of early form, probably from the collection of Bertram, 4th Earl of Ashburnham (1797-1878) and sold from the collection of M. Hubert de Givenchy, Christie's Monaco, 4 December 1993, lot 68; and a somewhat later writing-table, stamped by Noël Gérard (fl. 1690-1736) acquired by John, 2nd Marquess of Bute for Cardiff Castle (sold Christie's, London, 3 July 1996, lot 50).
When King George IV had his bureau plat moved to Windsor Castle in 1828, his cabinet-makers and upholsterers Morel and Seddon charged him 'To taking off the ormoulu enrichments of a large Buhl writing table, repairing rechasing and regilding the whole of do adding sundry new parts to match, new brass rails and moulding on the edge, repairing, cleaning and polishing the Buhl work adding new locks and an ornamental key, …'. Although the present desk was also given a new lock at about the same time, it appears largely to have escaped such assiduous care. The finely preserved, vigorous chasing of the mounts is highly characteristic of the late Louis XIV period, as exemplified by the patterning of the flat border surrounding the leather top. Particularly noticeable are the eyebrows of the masks, indicated by a row of incisions. They are in contrast to the more naturalistically chased another indication of a relatively early date for this bureau plat.
This desk is one of a sizeable body of bureaux plats that can with confidence be attributed to the greatest ébéniste of the late ré-Charles Boulle. Among the well-known series of drawings of furniture attributed to Boulle at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris there are two designs of writing tables, both of which clearly relate to the present example that combines elements from the two (A. Pradère, Les Ébénistes Français de Louis XIV à la Révolution, Paris, 1989, Fig. 36). The curved legs headed by satyr's masks and the central mount of a grinning mask occur on one drawing, whereas the other shows the forceful mounts of scrolled acanthus leaves that separate the drawers on the present desk. On this second drawing, the legs rest on lion's paws and are headed by female heads. Nearly identical legs are found on a third drawing of a comparable writing-table in the Cooper-Hewitt Museum in New York (T. Dell, The Frick Collection, An Illustrated Catalogue, vol. V, Furniture, Italian and French, p. 209, fig. 2). This is signed by one of the foremost designers of the Régence period, Giles-Marie Oppenordt (1672-1742) who is known to have collaborated with Boulle and to whom the drawings at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs are also sometimes attributed.
In 1720, a fire destroyed part of Boulle's workshop, after which an inventory was made up of its contents that in large part had perished. It is headed by the furniture belonging to the Duc de Bourbon that was saved; the first item is a bureau of six feet long. Among the destroyed furniture there were another five bureaux, decorated with marquetry of brass and tortoiseshell and between five and six feet long, as well as two examples veneered with wood 'de couleur' and a further twelve bureaux of six feet in various states of completion (Read, Richard, Lacordaire and Montaiglon, 'Pierre et Charles-André Boulle ébénistes de Louis XIII et Louis XIV', Archives de l'Art Français 4 (1855-'56), p. 336). Clearly, bureaux plats were produced in considerable quantities in Boulle's workshop. Marquetry of brass and tortoiseshell, on the present desk executed in contre-partie with the dark designs outlined on the pale brass ground, was of the course one of the main specialities of Boulle who gave his name to this technique.
The mounts on this desk all form part of Boulle's répertoire and several may be recognized on the furniture designs by him that were published by Jean Mariette in a series of eight engravings (J.-P. Samoyault, André-Charles Boulle et sa famille, Genève 1979, figs. 6-13). The grinning masks on the central drawer fronts probably represent the laughing philosopher, Democrites. On some comparable desks, it is paired with a mask of the weeping philosopher, Heraclites (see for instance P. Hughes, The Wallace Collection, Catalogue of Furniture, London 1996, no. 158 (F427)). Models for masques d'Héraclite et de Démocrite were listed in the inventory of Boulle's possessions made up after his death in 1732 (Samoyault, op. cit., p. 138, no. 21).
RELATED EXAMPLES
Among the bureaux plats attributed to Boulle, several types may be recognized, distinguished by their shape and outline and by the mounts employed. The present writing table, with its legs headed by satyr's masks, is closely related to an example in the J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles (G. Wilson and C. Hess, Summary Catalogue of European Decorative Arts in the J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles 2001, no. 57) and to a second, almost identical one in the Royal Collection at Windsor Castle (H. Roberts, For the King's pleasure, The furnishing and decoration of George IV's apartments at Windsor Castle, London 2001, p. 145, fig. 168). Another one is in the Frick Collection in New York (Dell, op. cit., pp. 204-214). All these examples are in contre-partie. A première partie bureau of closely related form but with a number of different mounts is in the Wallace Collection (Hughes, loc. cit.). Closest of all to the present table are a pair in the collection of the Duke of Devonshire at Chatsworth in Derbyshire, one in première partie and the other in contre-partie (J. Lees-Milne and J. Cornforth, 'Chatsworth', Country Life 164 (1968), pts. II (18 April), fig. 10, and VII (1 August), fig. 2. These are distinguished by the tall sabots of the early model also found on the present bureau and more usually associated with a well-known type of console shown in one of Mariette's engravings, where they are again combined with satyr's masks (O. Hughes, op. cit., nos. 160 and 161). The other tables cited have sabots of a scrolled, openwork model that is more Régence in feeling. Also, the Chatsworth desks share the idiosyncracy of the present table, that the scrolled marquetry design on the legs is not continued along the lower edges of the sides. These features may indicate that the present desk and the two at Chatsworth are the earliest of this particular series. The pattern of the marquetry on the sides and ends, typified by a particularly dense pattern with multiple scrolls issuing from the central masks, also seems to be unique to these three tables; on the others the design is somewhat lighter and airier, perhaps again pointing to a development in time.
BOULLE BUREAUX PLATS IN ENGLISH REGENCY COLLECTIONS
The English lock of the table may be dated to the years 1820-1830 and the leather top also appears to be English of the same period. Sadly, it is not known to which early 19th-century British collector the desk has belonged. Equally, it is not recorded in the literature if the two bureaux at Chatsworth were part of the collection of Boulle furniture assembled by the 6th Duke of Devonshire (succeeded to the title in 1811-1858), but this seems likely. Following the lead of the Prince Regent, later King George IV, a large number of English noblemen more or less closely connected with his circle shared a taste for 'Buhl' furniture and many Boulle pieces may be traced to their collections in which large writing-tables were undoubtedly among the most highly prized items. George IV himself had his Boulle bureau plat moved from the Library at his discarded residence at Carlton House to his private Sitting Room at Windsor Castle in 1828 (Roberts, op. cit., p. 139, account no. 242). The table now at the Wallace Collection may have belonged to the King's brother, the Duke of York, whose collection was sold at Christie's in 1827. Other Boulle bureaux plats from early 19th-century British collections include two examples acquired by Thomas, 2nd Earl de Grey (1781-1859) for Wrest Park, Bedfordshire (sold Christie's, London, 15 June 1995, lot 33, and Sotheby's Paris, 23 June 2004, lot 38, respectively); a rare example of early form, probably from the collection of Bertram, 4th Earl of Ashburnham (1797-1878) and sold from the collection of M. Hubert de Givenchy, Christie's Monaco, 4 December 1993, lot 68; and a somewhat later writing-table, stamped by Noël Gérard (fl. 1690-1736) acquired by John, 2nd Marquess of Bute for Cardiff Castle (sold Christie's, London, 3 July 1996, lot 50).
When King George IV had his bureau plat moved to Windsor Castle in 1828, his cabinet-makers and upholsterers Morel and Seddon charged him 'To taking off the ormoulu enrichments of a large Buhl writing table, repairing rechasing and regilding the whole of do adding sundry new parts to match, new brass rails and moulding on the edge, repairing, cleaning and polishing the Buhl work adding new locks and an ornamental key, …'. Although the present desk was also given a new lock at about the same time, it appears largely to have escaped such assiduous care. The finely preserved, vigorous chasing of the mounts is highly characteristic of the late Louis XIV period, as exemplified by the patterning of the flat border surrounding the leather top. Particularly noticeable are the eyebrows of the masks, indicated by a row of incisions. They are in contrast to the more naturalistically chased another indication of a relatively early date for this bureau plat.