Lot Essay
Georg Haupt (d. 1784), widely accepted as the most accomplished cabinet-maker of Sweden, was apprenticed in Amsterdam, Paris and London before returning to Sweden and being appointed hovsnickare, ébéniste du roi in 1769. Indeed, he is accredited with being the first cabinet-maker in Sweden to produce truly Gustavian (neo-classical) furniture, such as the cartonnier made as a present to Queen Louisa Ulrika in 1769 (M. Lagerqvist, Georg Haupt, Ebéniste du Roi, Stockholm, 1979, p. 50, fig. 3).
While in Paris and working for Simon Oeben, brother of the famous ébéniste du Roi Jean-François Oeben, Haupt adopted the neo-classical style supplying a 'gôut Grec' bureau plat for Etienne-François de Stainville, duc de Choiseuil for the château de Chanteloup in 1767. Contrastingly, it is believed that he developed his marquetry skills fully whilst working in England under John Linnell at Osterley Park, Middlesex, for Robert Child between 1768 and 1769. In the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, is a small specimen marble-topped table which is inscribed 'Cette table a été Commandé & Desiné par Mons:r Chambers, Premier Architect de Sa Majesté Britannique & Executé par Son Tres humble Serviteur George Haupt, Suedois, Londre le 4 fevrier 1769', which illustrates the subtle shadings and highly precise foliate trailing already developed in these early years and also found on the sides of these steps. Haupt designed much of his furniture, and it was his apprenticeship in England that no doubt inspired the form of these library-steps.
A related set of steps at Stjärnesand, Östergötland, Sweden (A. Nisbeth, Slott och Herresäten i Sverige, Malmo, 1971, p. 213) is attributed to Gustaf Adolph Ditzinger (d. 1800). Although it does not collapse, unlike these steps, certainly illustrate the close working relationship between Haupt and Ditzinger, as well as the influence of Haupt's English period on his assistant.
While in Paris and working for Simon Oeben, brother of the famous ébéniste du Roi Jean-François Oeben, Haupt adopted the neo-classical style supplying a 'gôut Grec' bureau plat for Etienne-François de Stainville, duc de Choiseuil for the château de Chanteloup in 1767. Contrastingly, it is believed that he developed his marquetry skills fully whilst working in England under John Linnell at Osterley Park, Middlesex, for Robert Child between 1768 and 1769. In the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, is a small specimen marble-topped table which is inscribed 'Cette table a été Commandé & Desiné par Mons:r Chambers, Premier Architect de Sa Majesté Britannique & Executé par Son Tres humble Serviteur George Haupt, Suedois, Londre le 4 fevrier 1769', which illustrates the subtle shadings and highly precise foliate trailing already developed in these early years and also found on the sides of these steps. Haupt designed much of his furniture, and it was his apprenticeship in England that no doubt inspired the form of these library-steps.
A related set of steps at Stjärnesand, Östergötland, Sweden (A. Nisbeth, Slott och Herresäten i Sverige, Malmo, 1971, p. 213) is attributed to Gustaf Adolph Ditzinger (d. 1800). Although it does not collapse, unlike these steps, certainly illustrate the close working relationship between Haupt and Ditzinger, as well as the influence of Haupt's English period on his assistant.