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Lot Essay
This attractive, boldly shaped commode is part of a large group of closely related pieces of furniture that are almost certainly made in the Netherlands, although showing a combination of French, English and German influences (see Reinier Baarsen a.o., Rococo in Nederland, exh. cat. Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam 2001-'02, nos. 187 and 188). The types represented are mainly French - commodes and secretaires - but English-inspired bureau-bookcases of a typically Dutch form also form part of this group (for example that sold Christie's, London, 18 May 1995, Lot 59). Generically, the small-scale geometric marquetry is also based on French prototypes; it is interpreted, however, in an individual manner. The way the drawers are surrounded by a narrow mahogany moulding is evidence of the influence of English cabinet-making practices, and most of the mounts are English. The handles and lock-plates belong to the standard repertoire of the Birmingham workshops that created many furniture mounts for the European market, in particular for Holland (Nicholas Goodison, 'The Victoria and Albert Museum's collection of metal-work pattern books', Furniture History 11 (1975), pp. 1-30, figs. 7-45; Baarsen, op. cit. no. 192). The highly elaborate corner mounts, sabots and apron-mount may be of English manufacure as well; their use seems mainly to have been restricted to this group.
The closest parallels to this commode and the pieces like it are found in the work of the celebrated cabinet-maker from Neuwied, Abraham Roentgen (1711-1793). A series of three commodes made by him in 1755-1760 for Johann Philipp von Walderdorff, Prince Bishop and Elector of Trier, for instance, share many characteristics with this group: the small-scale geometric parquetry, the treatment of the veneer on the sides, the mouldings around the drawers, and the hollowed-out, brass-lined fillets running below the drawers (D. Fabian, Abraham und David Roentgen, Das noch aufgefundene Gesamtwerk ihrer Möbel- und Uhrenkunst, Bad Neustadt/Saale 1996, nos. 258-260). This has led to the present commode and pieces like it being attributed to Roentgen as well, albeit with some misgivings (J.M. Greber, Abraham und David Roentgen, Möbel für Europa, vol. II, figs. 120-123; Fabian, nos. 268, 269, 272-274). There are several characteristics, however, that are inconsistent with Roentgen's work. First of all, the general shape and proportions are distinctly Dutch; on the present commode, the tripartite division of the front clearly relates to many earlier pieces of Dutch furniture - in Holland, this vertically divided shape is referred to as orgelgebogen. On most of Roentgen's marquetry furniture of this period, some structural elements are executed in carved wood, a combination typical of German furniture but not found on the present group. The commodes invariably have blue-grey marble tops, of a colour and type found almost without exception on Dutch furniture of the period. Some examples have two doors treated as three drawers, a device regularly found on Dutch commodes but never with Roentgen (one was sold, Christie's, New York, 25 October 1991, Lot 136).
From the 1760s, several Dutch cabinet-makers - all of German origin - concentrated on producing commodes and other fashionable furniture in the French style. One of them, Matthijs Franses (c. 1726-1788) who worked in The Hague, advertised in 1761 with 'des Commodes & Tables incrustées de lâme de Cuivres dorees au feu, & faites à la Françoise' and 'des Commodes à la Diligence [à la Régence?] garnies de bordures de cuivre cizelées & dorées avec de l'or moulu. Le dessus de ces Commodes est de Marbre' - descriptions that match the commode in many respects. Matthijs came from the vicinity of Krefeld. He had become master in The Hague as early as 1754, but he employed journeymen from Germany on a regular basis. It is likely that he was in touch with the famous workshop of Roentgen, who himself had served part of his apprenticeship in Amsterdam and The Hague.
We are grateful to Dr. Reinier Baarsen for his help with this catalogue entry.
The closest parallels to this commode and the pieces like it are found in the work of the celebrated cabinet-maker from Neuwied, Abraham Roentgen (1711-1793). A series of three commodes made by him in 1755-1760 for Johann Philipp von Walderdorff, Prince Bishop and Elector of Trier, for instance, share many characteristics with this group: the small-scale geometric parquetry, the treatment of the veneer on the sides, the mouldings around the drawers, and the hollowed-out, brass-lined fillets running below the drawers (D. Fabian, Abraham und David Roentgen, Das noch aufgefundene Gesamtwerk ihrer Möbel- und Uhrenkunst, Bad Neustadt/Saale 1996, nos. 258-260). This has led to the present commode and pieces like it being attributed to Roentgen as well, albeit with some misgivings (J.M. Greber, Abraham und David Roentgen, Möbel für Europa, vol. II, figs. 120-123; Fabian, nos. 268, 269, 272-274). There are several characteristics, however, that are inconsistent with Roentgen's work. First of all, the general shape and proportions are distinctly Dutch; on the present commode, the tripartite division of the front clearly relates to many earlier pieces of Dutch furniture - in Holland, this vertically divided shape is referred to as orgelgebogen. On most of Roentgen's marquetry furniture of this period, some structural elements are executed in carved wood, a combination typical of German furniture but not found on the present group. The commodes invariably have blue-grey marble tops, of a colour and type found almost without exception on Dutch furniture of the period. Some examples have two doors treated as three drawers, a device regularly found on Dutch commodes but never with Roentgen (one was sold, Christie's, New York, 25 October 1991, Lot 136).
From the 1760s, several Dutch cabinet-makers - all of German origin - concentrated on producing commodes and other fashionable furniture in the French style. One of them, Matthijs Franses (c. 1726-1788) who worked in The Hague, advertised in 1761 with 'des Commodes & Tables incrustées de lâme de Cuivres dorees au feu, & faites à la Françoise' and 'des Commodes à la Diligence [à la Régence?] garnies de bordures de cuivre cizelées & dorées avec de l'or moulu. Le dessus de ces Commodes est de Marbre' - descriptions that match the commode in many respects. Matthijs came from the vicinity of Krefeld. He had become master in The Hague as early as 1754, but he employed journeymen from Germany on a regular basis. It is likely that he was in touch with the famous workshop of Roentgen, who himself had served part of his apprenticeship in Amsterdam and The Hague.
We are grateful to Dr. Reinier Baarsen for his help with this catalogue entry.