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Lot Essay
This elegant encoignure (corner cabinet) is the work of the celebrated ébéniste Martin Carlin (1730-1785), one of a pair listed in an early 19th century inventory in a ‘Room following the cabinet’ in the apartments of Charles-Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord (1754-1838), Grand Chamberlain of the Empire, Prince of Bénévent and Minister of External Relations, within the hotel of the Ministry of External Relations, known as the Hôtel de Galliffet. The pair to the present encoignure was acquired by the Mobilier National (inv. GME-10795-000) 29 November 1948 and is currently on display at the Palace of Versailles. The Versailles encoignure has a paper label inscribed 'n°45', an old inventory number 'MAEB 11702' and a brand 'R L E', which refers to an undated inventory in the archives of the Ministère des Relations Extérieures, can be broadly dated to the early 19th-century by the reference to a portrait of ‘His Imperial and Royal Majesty’. The entries were brief as was typical, but clearly describe both encoignures:
Dans le ‘logement du Précepteur et des enfants, même corridor, ayant vue sur le jardin. Dans l'entrée, 1er cabinet {...} Chambre à la suite du cabinet {...} 1 encoignure en bois d'acajou; ayant 4 tablettes en marbre blanc veiné à galeries, fontes dorées en or moulu". Et plus loin, dans le Garde-meubles : ‘2epièce {...} 1 encoignure en bois d'acajou à 4 tablettes en marbre blanc veiné et galerie
TALLEYRAND-PERIDGORD
Charles Maurice de Talleyrand-Perigord (1754-1838) started his career in the clergy – he was Bishop of Autun (1788-91) - but went on to forge a successful career as an advisor, political influencer, statesman and later diplomat under Napoleon I and King Louis-Philippe. The longevity of his political career is all the more impressive considering the turbulent period in which he lived - between the Ancien Régime, the Revolution, the Consulat and the Bourbon Restoration. He is known as an important figure across Europe and for seeking peace and stability for its people, most notably for his involvement in the Congress of Vienna in 1813-14. In 1797 he took up residence at Hôtel de Galliffet, Paris as part of his appointment. In 1803 he acquired Château de Valençay, where his carefully assembled collection remains intact.
MARTIN CARLIN
Martin Carlin is best known for his small-scale, delicate and multi-functional furniture, often with simple lines but intricate mechanisms. Born in Freiburg, he came to Paris and worked under fellow German émigré ébéniste Jean-François Oeben, later marrying Oeben’s sister and establishing his own workshop au signe de la Colombe, Grand-Rue du Faubourg Saint-Antoine. Carlin worked almost exclusively for the marchand-merciers Simon-Philippe Poirier and his partner Dominique Daguerre through whom a large body of his work was supplied to the French Royal households and nobility and has since found it way into internationally renowned collections such as the Royal Collection, the Wallace Collection, The Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Getty Museum.
This elegant encoignure (corner cabinet) is the work of the celebrated ébéniste Martin Carlin (1730-1785), one of a pair listed in an early 19th century inventory in a ‘Room following the cabinet’ in the apartments of Charles-Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord (1754-1838), Grand Chamberlain of the Empire, Prince of Bénévent and Minister of External Relations, within the hotel of the Ministry of External Relations, known as the Hôtel de Galliffet. The pair to the present encoignure was acquired by the Mobilier National (inv. GME-10795-000) 29 November 1948 and is currently on display at the Palace of Versailles. The Versailles encoignure has a paper label inscribed 'n°45', an old inventory number 'MAEB 11702' and a brand 'R L E', which refers to an undated inventory in the archives of the Ministère des Relations Extérieures, can be broadly dated to the early 19th-century by the reference to a portrait of ‘His Imperial and Royal Majesty’. The entries were brief as was typical, but clearly describe both encoignures:
Dans le ‘logement du Précepteur et des enfants, même corridor, ayant vue sur le jardin. Dans l'entrée, 1er cabinet {...} Chambre à la suite du cabinet {...} 1 encoignure en bois d'acajou; ayant 4 tablettes en marbre blanc veiné à galeries, fontes dorées en or moulu". Et plus loin, dans le Garde-meubles : ‘2epièce {...} 1 encoignure en bois d'acajou à 4 tablettes en marbre blanc veiné et galerie
TALLEYRAND-PERIDGORD
Charles Maurice de Talleyrand-Perigord (1754-1838) started his career in the clergy – he was Bishop of Autun (1788-91) - but went on to forge a successful career as an advisor, political influencer, statesman and later diplomat under Napoleon I and King Louis-Philippe. The longevity of his political career is all the more impressive considering the turbulent period in which he lived - between the Ancien Régime, the Revolution, the Consulat and the Bourbon Restoration. He is known as an important figure across Europe and for seeking peace and stability for its people, most notably for his involvement in the Congress of Vienna in 1813-14. In 1797 he took up residence at Hôtel de Galliffet, Paris as part of his appointment. In 1803 he acquired Château de Valençay, where his carefully assembled collection remains intact.
MARTIN CARLIN
Martin Carlin is best known for his small-scale, delicate and multi-functional furniture, often with simple lines but intricate mechanisms. Born in Freiburg, he came to Paris and worked under fellow German émigré ébéniste Jean-François Oeben, later marrying Oeben’s sister and establishing his own workshop au signe de la Colombe, Grand-Rue du Faubourg Saint-Antoine. Carlin worked almost exclusively for the marchand-merciers Simon-Philippe Poirier and his partner Dominique Daguerre through whom a large body of his work was supplied to the French Royal households and nobility and has since found it way into internationally renowned collections such as the Royal Collection, the Wallace Collection, The Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Getty Museum.