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Lot Essay
Jean Demoulin, maître in Paris circa 1745 then at Dijon circa 1780.
This exquisite commode incorporating precious Chinese lacquer panels depicting mountainous landscapes executed in high relief, framed by finely chased gilt-bronze mounts is a superb example of the work of the ébéniste Jean Demoulin (1715-1798). Originally part of a larger suite comprising a pair of encoignures, the present lot formed part of the collection of the ducs d’Albufera at the Château de Bizy until 1969.
Jean Demoulin was born in Selongey in the Côte-d'Or to a family of Burgundian wine-growers. He first completed an apprenticeship in Dijon before moving to Paris circa 1745 where he worked for the marchand and ébéniste Pierre IV Migeon (maître c.1721). He was received as maître in 1745 and counted the duc de Choiseul (1719-1785) and Prince de Condé (1736-1818) amongst his patrons and appeared to specialise in works mounted with precious lacquer. He returned to Dijon in 1780 where he was again received as maître. Opening a workshop and store on the rue Vannerie and then rue de Condé he worked alongside his son Jean-Baptiste Demoulin (1750-1837) until 1788.
A small corpus of related lacquer-mounted works by Demoulin include:
· The pair of encoignures from the Château de Bizy (sold Sotheby’s, London, 3 July 2012, lot 42.)
· A commode commissioned for the duc de Penthièvre (1725-1793), at the château de Chanteloup, now in the Musée des Beaux-Arts de Tours (inv. 1794-2-1) (illustrated in P. Kjellberg, Le Mobilier français du XVIIIe siècle, Paris 1998, p.251)
· A further commode, possibly also commissioned for the duc de Penthièvre at Chanteloup, now at the Château de Talcy (Tn.145).
· A commode formerly in the collection of Robert Polo (sold, Sotheby’s, New York, 3 November 1989, lot 100).
· A commode and pair of encoignures from the collection of the Marquis de Ségur (1724-1801) at Château de Méry-sur- Oise (illustrated T. Wolvesperges, Le meuble français en laque au XVIIIe siècle, Paris, 2000, p. 50, fig. 37 &38.)
COLLECTION OF THE DUCS D’ALBUFERA, CHÂTEAU DE BIZY
The château de Bizy was the seat of the Maréchal de Belle Isle d'Ivry from 1741 to 1761. The existing château, formerly the seat of the Jubert family, was largely reconstructed by the architect Pierre Contant d'Ivry (1698-1777) and on the death of the Maréchal when the contents of the château were sold. The estate itself was inherited by the comte d'Eu (1701-1755), who on his death bequeathed it to the duc de Penthièvre, grandson of Louis XIV and Grand Amiral de France. Bizy was demolished during the revolution but in 1805 the land was purchased by General le Suire who constructed a more modest château on grounds of the estate. In 1817 it was acquired by the duchesse d'Orléans (1753-1821) and it passed by descent to her son King Louis Philippe I (1773-1850). Under his tenure two additional wings were built onto the château and the grounds were landscaped in the fashionable English style. In 1858, the property was confiscated by Napoleon III and the château was sold at public auction to Baron Fernand David Georges de Schikler (1835-1909) who further adapted the château. In 1909, the Baron bequeathed Bizy to his grand-nephew, Louis Suchet, 4th duc d'Albuféra, descendant of Louis-Gabriel Suchet (1770-1826) Maréchal d'Empire and 1st duc d'Albuféra.
This exquisite commode incorporating precious Chinese lacquer panels depicting mountainous landscapes executed in high relief, framed by finely chased gilt-bronze mounts is a superb example of the work of the ébéniste Jean Demoulin (1715-1798). Originally part of a larger suite comprising a pair of encoignures, the present lot formed part of the collection of the ducs d’Albufera at the Château de Bizy until 1969.
Jean Demoulin was born in Selongey in the Côte-d'Or to a family of Burgundian wine-growers. He first completed an apprenticeship in Dijon before moving to Paris circa 1745 where he worked for the marchand and ébéniste Pierre IV Migeon (maître c.1721). He was received as maître in 1745 and counted the duc de Choiseul (1719-1785) and Prince de Condé (1736-1818) amongst his patrons and appeared to specialise in works mounted with precious lacquer. He returned to Dijon in 1780 where he was again received as maître. Opening a workshop and store on the rue Vannerie and then rue de Condé he worked alongside his son Jean-Baptiste Demoulin (1750-1837) until 1788.
A small corpus of related lacquer-mounted works by Demoulin include:
· The pair of encoignures from the Château de Bizy (sold Sotheby’s, London, 3 July 2012, lot 42.)
· A commode commissioned for the duc de Penthièvre (1725-1793), at the château de Chanteloup, now in the Musée des Beaux-Arts de Tours (inv. 1794-2-1) (illustrated in P. Kjellberg, Le Mobilier français du XVIIIe siècle, Paris 1998, p.251)
· A further commode, possibly also commissioned for the duc de Penthièvre at Chanteloup, now at the Château de Talcy (Tn.145).
· A commode formerly in the collection of Robert Polo (sold, Sotheby’s, New York, 3 November 1989, lot 100).
· A commode and pair of encoignures from the collection of the Marquis de Ségur (1724-1801) at Château de Méry-sur- Oise (illustrated T. Wolvesperges, Le meuble français en laque au XVIIIe siècle, Paris, 2000, p. 50, fig. 37 &38.)
COLLECTION OF THE DUCS D’ALBUFERA, CHÂTEAU DE BIZY
The château de Bizy was the seat of the Maréchal de Belle Isle d'Ivry from 1741 to 1761. The existing château, formerly the seat of the Jubert family, was largely reconstructed by the architect Pierre Contant d'Ivry (1698-1777) and on the death of the Maréchal when the contents of the château were sold. The estate itself was inherited by the comte d'Eu (1701-1755), who on his death bequeathed it to the duc de Penthièvre, grandson of Louis XIV and Grand Amiral de France. Bizy was demolished during the revolution but in 1805 the land was purchased by General le Suire who constructed a more modest château on grounds of the estate. In 1817 it was acquired by the duchesse d'Orléans (1753-1821) and it passed by descent to her son King Louis Philippe I (1773-1850). Under his tenure two additional wings were built onto the château and the grounds were landscaped in the fashionable English style. In 1858, the property was confiscated by Napoleon III and the château was sold at public auction to Baron Fernand David Georges de Schikler (1835-1909) who further adapted the château. In 1909, the Baron bequeathed Bizy to his grand-nephew, Louis Suchet, 4th duc d'Albuféra, descendant of Louis-Gabriel Suchet (1770-1826) Maréchal d'Empire and 1st duc d'Albuféra.