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Lot Essay
The superb quality of the carving of these consoles, which doubtless were designed to harmonize with the boiseries of a panelled salon, points to one of the foremost menuisiers of the day, such as Georges Jacob (maître in 1765), or Jean-Baptiste Claude Sené (maître in 1769).
Both the severely architectural nature of the present consoles combined with the delicately carved details recall the well-known designs of consoles by Richard de Lalonde, now in Berlin and reproduced in Die Französischen Zeichnungen der Kunstbibliothek, Berlin 402.HB2 3629. Lalonde, like Delafosse, was one of the most talented ornamental designers of the Louis XVI period and was repeatedly commissioned to execute projects for Royal residences.
This extremely classic and elegant design was much imitated by other 18th century French menuisiers as designs for other console tables by Claude-Antoine Colombot of 1789 shows. These tables once formed part of a suite of furniture made for a panelled salon of the Besançon hôtel of François-Gabriel Chappuis de Rosières, Président of the Franche Comté parliament (1763 - 1814). The principal console from this room was sold Christie's, New York, 23 October 1998, lot 168, and the pair of consoles were sold Christie's, London, 12 December 2002, lot 30. And while the principal console is of a slightly more complex design than the present console, they all share the same superb quality of carving, the unusually refined and delicate pierced frieze of scrolling acanthus and the large architectural scrolled and acanthus-carved legs.
Both the severely architectural nature of the present consoles combined with the delicately carved details recall the well-known designs of consoles by Richard de Lalonde, now in Berlin and reproduced in Die Französischen Zeichnungen der Kunstbibliothek, Berlin 402.HB2 3629. Lalonde, like Delafosse, was one of the most talented ornamental designers of the Louis XVI period and was repeatedly commissioned to execute projects for Royal residences.
This extremely classic and elegant design was much imitated by other 18th century French menuisiers as designs for other console tables by Claude-Antoine Colombot of 1789 shows. These tables once formed part of a suite of furniture made for a panelled salon of the Besançon hôtel of François-Gabriel Chappuis de Rosières, Président of the Franche Comté parliament (1763 - 1814). The principal console from this room was sold Christie's, New York, 23 October 1998, lot 168, and the pair of consoles were sold Christie's, London, 12 December 2002, lot 30. And while the principal console is of a slightly more complex design than the present console, they all share the same superb quality of carving, the unusually refined and delicate pierced frieze of scrolling acanthus and the large architectural scrolled and acanthus-carved legs.