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Lot Essay
THE TASTE FOR CABINETS DE CURIOSITÉ
Some sense of the extravagance of mid-18th century cabinets de curiosités can be drawn from the drawings of the hôtel belonging to Joseph Bonnier de la Mosson (1702-44), executed by Jean-Baptiste Courtonne in 1739 (now in the Bibliothèque d'Art et d'Archéologie, Paris). A colonel in the Dragons-Dauphin, Bonnier de la Mosson inherited at the age of 24 his father's fortune and official role as Trésorier des Etats du Languedoc. This allowed Bonnier de La Moisson to indulge his most elaborate and extravagant fantasies in the pursuit of science and the arts, as well as the sponsorship of music and opera. But his cabinets de curiosités were extensive in both number and wide-ranging in subject, forming a succession of rooms designed and categorised by Jean-Baptiste Courtonne in 1739-40, with the assistance of Alexis Magny. The suite embraced a cabinet des drogues, a cabinet of stuffed animals, a laboratory, a cabinet d'astronomie, a cabinet for disected animals, a cabinet d'histore naturelle where he kept both shells and plants and, finally, a cabinet méchanique. Tragically, the collection was shortlived, and was dispersed by auction in 1745. For a comprehensive discussion of Bonnier de la Moisson's hôtel, see 'Le Faubourg Saint-Germain la Rue Saint-Dominique', Exhibition Catalogue, 11 October-20 December 1984, pp.150-64.
Bonnier de la Moisson was just one amongst a large circle of intellectual amateurs working as high ranking military or civil servants in eighteenth century France who were interested in the natural and physical sciences and had well known cabinets de curiosités. Eighteenth century France and its Royal family had no historic collections and an object was acquired for scientific study and contemplation rather than for its provenance. However, it is important to note that the fascination with the natural and physical sciences did not only rest with the amateurs of the Siècle des Lumières but with every member of eighteenth century French society. Even the poorer members of society such as wine merchants, artists and publishers possessed scientific objects. However, after the Revolution science became a profession and the fashion for these cabinets waned as amateurs were no longer accepted into these circles.
THE COMTE D'ONS-EN-BRAY'S CABINET
The scientific cabinet of Louis-Léon Pajot (1678-1754), second comte d'Ons-en-Bray is arguably the most famous of the early 18th century. Born in Paris in 1674, Pajot was educated at the College Louis le Grand until he was later removed due to illness. From a family of distinguished nobleman, he rose to the position of Intendant Général des Postes et Relais de France in 1708. He was highly regarded by Louis XIV who sent him on secret missions, admitted him into his inner circle and presented him with the now famous 'burning mirror'. In this lucrative position Pajot had no financial limitations and was able to explore his personal interests in his scientific collection. Pajot's primary inspiration stemmed from a trip to Holland in 1697 where he met the humanist Herman Boerhaave and the anatomist and botanist Frederic Ruysch, whilst accompanying French negotiators to the Congress of Ryswick. He began collecting in 1700 and by 1716 he had rapidly gained respect in his field and was elected honorary member of the Académie Royale des Sciences in 1716.
Pajot's scientific cabinets were housed in his country house in Bercy which was described in the memoirs of the duc de Saint-Simon in 1717 'as full of all sorts of rarities and curiosities, natural as well as mechanical'. Indeed the cabinet filled most of the house leaving only a personal apartment for Pajot and consisted of everything from the simplest to the most complicated of objects. Cupboards were dedicated to the display of natural history, mathematics, astronomy and mechanics, to name but a few. Grandjean de Fouchy commented on Pajou's cabinet that 'there was not a single unusual machine, new piece of horology, hydraulics, geolosy, or other discipline of which he did not have at least one model'. Drawn by the esteemed reputation of Pajot and his cabinet, Bercy entertained everyone from Ambassadors, Princes and Lords to amateurs and friars.
It was in the third salon, principally for the display of horology and mechanics that this pair coquilliers were displayed. These 'cabinets of mahogany for use as seashell cabinets' - as they were described in the 1754 inventory translated by Augarde (ibid.) - were placed centrally in the room and accompanied by three other shell cabinets. This magnificent room in the centre of the building contained over six hundred pieces with cupboards filled with astronomical and mathematical instruments. On his death in 1754, Pajot bequeathed his collection to the Royal Academy.
This information on the comte d'Ons-en-Braye's cabinet is an abbreviated version of the brilliant article by Jean-Dominique Augarde, 'The Scientific Cabinet of Comte d'Ons-en-Bray', published by Cleveland Museum of Art in 2003. This latter article expanded on the paper given by Jean-Dominique Augarde, 'Nobles Seigneurs and Scientific Instruments in 18th Century France: Louis-Léon Pajot, Comte d'Ons-en-Bray (1678-1754)'.
THE ATTRIBUTION
These coquilliers are unique and stylistically difficult to attribute. Whilst their innovative design and the bold paw feet are certainly characteristic and closest to the work of André-Charles Boulle himself - and indeed the comte d'Ons-en-Braye is known to have favoured Boulle's furniture - they could equally well be by a contemporary such as Doirat, Gérard or even Boulle fils. In his article on 'The scientific cabinet of Comte d'Ons-en-Bray', Augarde (op. cit.) records the fact that Pajot's collection contained amongst other superb furniture, several pieces by André-Charles Boulle including a 'large chandelier of bronze gilt with ormolu & made after drawings by Boule', and a pair of Socrates and Aspasia Medailleurs.
The association with Boulle is perhaps further enhanced by the distinctive and beautifully drawn line of the cabriole legs terminating in paw feet. This accentuated design was first introduced by Boulle on the commodes supplied for the King's Bedchamber at the Grand Trianon in 1708-09 (D. Meyer, Versailles Furniture of the Royal Palace, Paris, 2002, Vol.1, p.54. Boulle subsequently developed this same concept, with identical acanthus-wrapped paw feet, on the commode attributed to Boulle and sold from the collection of M. Hubert de Givenchy, Christie's Monaco, 4 December 1993, lot 78 as well as on two consoless by Boulle at Waddesdon Manor (G. de Bellaigue, The James A. de Rothschild Collection at Waddesdon Manor: Furniture, Clocks Gilt Bronzes, London, 1974, 1, no.85, pp.414-5) and the Wallace Collection (F56).
Some sense of the extravagance of mid-18th century cabinets de curiosités can be drawn from the drawings of the hôtel belonging to Joseph Bonnier de la Mosson (1702-44), executed by Jean-Baptiste Courtonne in 1739 (now in the Bibliothèque d'Art et d'Archéologie, Paris). A colonel in the Dragons-Dauphin, Bonnier de la Mosson inherited at the age of 24 his father's fortune and official role as Trésorier des Etats du Languedoc. This allowed Bonnier de La Moisson to indulge his most elaborate and extravagant fantasies in the pursuit of science and the arts, as well as the sponsorship of music and opera. But his cabinets de curiosités were extensive in both number and wide-ranging in subject, forming a succession of rooms designed and categorised by Jean-Baptiste Courtonne in 1739-40, with the assistance of Alexis Magny. The suite embraced a cabinet des drogues, a cabinet of stuffed animals, a laboratory, a cabinet d'astronomie, a cabinet for disected animals, a cabinet d'histore naturelle where he kept both shells and plants and, finally, a cabinet méchanique. Tragically, the collection was shortlived, and was dispersed by auction in 1745. For a comprehensive discussion of Bonnier de la Moisson's hôtel, see 'Le Faubourg Saint-Germain la Rue Saint-Dominique', Exhibition Catalogue, 11 October-20 December 1984, pp.150-64.
Bonnier de la Moisson was just one amongst a large circle of intellectual amateurs working as high ranking military or civil servants in eighteenth century France who were interested in the natural and physical sciences and had well known cabinets de curiosités. Eighteenth century France and its Royal family had no historic collections and an object was acquired for scientific study and contemplation rather than for its provenance. However, it is important to note that the fascination with the natural and physical sciences did not only rest with the amateurs of the Siècle des Lumières but with every member of eighteenth century French society. Even the poorer members of society such as wine merchants, artists and publishers possessed scientific objects. However, after the Revolution science became a profession and the fashion for these cabinets waned as amateurs were no longer accepted into these circles.
THE COMTE D'ONS-EN-BRAY'S CABINET
The scientific cabinet of Louis-Léon Pajot (1678-1754), second comte d'Ons-en-Bray is arguably the most famous of the early 18th century. Born in Paris in 1674, Pajot was educated at the College Louis le Grand until he was later removed due to illness. From a family of distinguished nobleman, he rose to the position of Intendant Général des Postes et Relais de France in 1708. He was highly regarded by Louis XIV who sent him on secret missions, admitted him into his inner circle and presented him with the now famous 'burning mirror'. In this lucrative position Pajot had no financial limitations and was able to explore his personal interests in his scientific collection. Pajot's primary inspiration stemmed from a trip to Holland in 1697 where he met the humanist Herman Boerhaave and the anatomist and botanist Frederic Ruysch, whilst accompanying French negotiators to the Congress of Ryswick. He began collecting in 1700 and by 1716 he had rapidly gained respect in his field and was elected honorary member of the Académie Royale des Sciences in 1716.
Pajot's scientific cabinets were housed in his country house in Bercy which was described in the memoirs of the duc de Saint-Simon in 1717 'as full of all sorts of rarities and curiosities, natural as well as mechanical'. Indeed the cabinet filled most of the house leaving only a personal apartment for Pajot and consisted of everything from the simplest to the most complicated of objects. Cupboards were dedicated to the display of natural history, mathematics, astronomy and mechanics, to name but a few. Grandjean de Fouchy commented on Pajou's cabinet that 'there was not a single unusual machine, new piece of horology, hydraulics, geolosy, or other discipline of which he did not have at least one model'. Drawn by the esteemed reputation of Pajot and his cabinet, Bercy entertained everyone from Ambassadors, Princes and Lords to amateurs and friars.
It was in the third salon, principally for the display of horology and mechanics that this pair coquilliers were displayed. These 'cabinets of mahogany for use as seashell cabinets' - as they were described in the 1754 inventory translated by Augarde (ibid.) - were placed centrally in the room and accompanied by three other shell cabinets. This magnificent room in the centre of the building contained over six hundred pieces with cupboards filled with astronomical and mathematical instruments. On his death in 1754, Pajot bequeathed his collection to the Royal Academy.
This information on the comte d'Ons-en-Braye's cabinet is an abbreviated version of the brilliant article by Jean-Dominique Augarde, 'The Scientific Cabinet of Comte d'Ons-en-Bray', published by Cleveland Museum of Art in 2003. This latter article expanded on the paper given by Jean-Dominique Augarde, 'Nobles Seigneurs and Scientific Instruments in 18th Century France: Louis-Léon Pajot, Comte d'Ons-en-Bray (1678-1754)'.
THE ATTRIBUTION
These coquilliers are unique and stylistically difficult to attribute. Whilst their innovative design and the bold paw feet are certainly characteristic and closest to the work of André-Charles Boulle himself - and indeed the comte d'Ons-en-Braye is known to have favoured Boulle's furniture - they could equally well be by a contemporary such as Doirat, Gérard or even Boulle fils. In his article on 'The scientific cabinet of Comte d'Ons-en-Bray', Augarde (op. cit.) records the fact that Pajot's collection contained amongst other superb furniture, several pieces by André-Charles Boulle including a 'large chandelier of bronze gilt with ormolu & made after drawings by Boule', and a pair of Socrates and Aspasia Medailleurs.
The association with Boulle is perhaps further enhanced by the distinctive and beautifully drawn line of the cabriole legs terminating in paw feet. This accentuated design was first introduced by Boulle on the commodes supplied for the King's Bedchamber at the Grand Trianon in 1708-09 (D. Meyer, Versailles Furniture of the Royal Palace, Paris, 2002, Vol.1, p.54. Boulle subsequently developed this same concept, with identical acanthus-wrapped paw feet, on the commode attributed to Boulle and sold from the collection of M. Hubert de Givenchy, Christie's Monaco, 4 December 1993, lot 78 as well as on two consoless by Boulle at Waddesdon Manor (G. de Bellaigue, The James A. de Rothschild Collection at Waddesdon Manor: Furniture, Clocks Gilt Bronzes, London, 1974, 1, no.85, pp.414-5) and the Wallace Collection (F56).