A LOUIS XIV PEWTER AND FRUITWOOD-INLAID EBONY BUREAU MAZARIN

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A LOUIS XIV PEWTER AND FRUITWOOD-INLAID EBONY BUREAU MAZARIN
Inlaid overall with scrolled foliage and strapwork, the rectangular moulded top centred by a foliate and floral bouquet within a scrolled and flowering cartouche with ribbon-hung floral swags, butterflies and animals, above three small drawers to each side centred by a further drawer, the knee-hole centred by two recessed drawers, one of them concave-fronted and flanked by lambrequined foliage, the sides centred by a foliate vase and with birds to each corner, the reverse with two panels of floral vases with birds, on square tapering legs inlaid with further foliate husks, surmounted and terminating in moulded brass collars joined by a foliate-inlaid H-shaped stretcher and brass toupie feet, the legs and stretcher later, some replacements to the marquetry
31 in. (78.5 cm.) high; 48 in. (122 cm.) wide; 27 in. (69.5 cm.) deep

拍品專文

Interestingly, the term of Bureau Mazarin probably refers to a type of bureau that was first commissioned by Mazarin and executed by Pierre Gole (circa 1620 - 1684) for Louis XIV. Mazarin never possessed such a bureau in his collections. Bureaux mazarins were inlaid either with floral marquetry, with a combination of naturalistic flowers and acanthus scrolls, or with Boulle marquetry in premire or contre-partie. Early works of Andr-Charles Boulle were however executed in floral marquetry. Particularly nice on this bureau mazarin are the contrasting scrolled foliate pewter borders.

A related bureau mazarin from the Trustees of the Swithland settled Estates, removed from Swithland Hall was sold in these Rooms, 7 December 1978, lot 99; while another sold anonymously in that same sale, lot 108.

Meaning of Ornament

The table-top, bordered by silvery acanthus-scrolls issuing from lilly-flowered corners, displays butterflies attending Flora's festive flower-basket. Its fretted ribbon lambrequin is enriched with triumphal palms and poetic laurels, while its plinth is attended by Jupiter's sacred eagles emerging from flowered acanthus scrolls. Tablets of flowered Roman acanthus embellish the front, while birds attend the vases displayed at the sides. The basket and vases derive from engravings of flower paintings in the manner of those executed by Jean-Baptiste Monnoyer; while the eagle border derives from Androuet Ducercau's, Divers Ornemens de feuillages en forme de Panneaux a l'usage de Ceux qui excercent le dessein'.