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Lot Essay
This magnificent console table was once part of an unusually well documented panelled room supplied to the Prsident de Rosires for one of the most important mansions in Besanon. Long considered one of the masterpieces of the decorative arts in Besanon, it was displayed earlier in the century in the Metropolitan Museum and later served as the showroom for one of New York's premier dealers in 18th century furniture, French and Company.
THE COMMISSION
This finely carved panelled salon was commissioned in 1789 by Franois-Gabriel Chappuis de Rosires, while Prsident of the Franche Comt parliament, for his htel in Besanon. It was part of a series of lavish refurbishments supervised by Claude-Antoine Colombot (1747-1821), an architect who had trained in Paris under Jean-Louis Desprez, an influential designer and architect who was largely credited with introducing the neoclassical style to Sweden. This console was placed opposite the chimneypiece and is based with modifications on a design by Colombot, and executed by the sculpteur Joseph-Andr Priv, who agreed to install it in the salon by 12 November 1789. The console was flanked by finely carved Ionic pilasters and panelling carved with delicate rinceau foliage in the elegant got trusque so fashionable in the 1780's. Priv also supplied two other smaller consoles to be placed between the windows under Colombot's direction, based directly on a well-known design by the dessinateur Richard de Lalonde. The salon was also embellished with the cypher ' C R ', the Prsident's initials.
THE LATER HISTORY OF THE SALON
Remarkably, the entire salon remained intact at least until 1902, when it was illustrated in situ by Gaston Coindre. It later passed into the collection of Comte Amedeo de Broglie (who had married a member of the Saye family), when the cypher was changed to ' S B '. The room was later displayed for a brief period at the Metropolitan Museum, when it was known as the de Broglie room as the earlier provenance was not at that stage known, until being replaced in 1946 by the salon from the htel de Tesse, which remains there today. The Rosire salon was then sold to French and Company and was for many years used as its New York showroom in a grand setting filled with fine French furniture, even being used on occasion as a location for fashion photographs by Cecil Beaton.
THE COMMISSION
This finely carved panelled salon was commissioned in 1789 by Franois-Gabriel Chappuis de Rosires, while Prsident of the Franche Comt parliament, for his htel in Besanon. It was part of a series of lavish refurbishments supervised by Claude-Antoine Colombot (1747-1821), an architect who had trained in Paris under Jean-Louis Desprez, an influential designer and architect who was largely credited with introducing the neoclassical style to Sweden. This console was placed opposite the chimneypiece and is based with modifications on a design by Colombot, and executed by the sculpteur Joseph-Andr Priv, who agreed to install it in the salon by 12 November 1789. The console was flanked by finely carved Ionic pilasters and panelling carved with delicate rinceau foliage in the elegant got trusque so fashionable in the 1780's. Priv also supplied two other smaller consoles to be placed between the windows under Colombot's direction, based directly on a well-known design by the dessinateur Richard de Lalonde. The salon was also embellished with the cypher ' C R ', the Prsident's initials.
THE LATER HISTORY OF THE SALON
Remarkably, the entire salon remained intact at least until 1902, when it was illustrated in situ by Gaston Coindre. It later passed into the collection of Comte Amedeo de Broglie (who had married a member of the Saye family), when the cypher was changed to ' S B '. The room was later displayed for a brief period at the Metropolitan Museum, when it was known as the de Broglie room as the earlier provenance was not at that stage known, until being replaced in 1946 by the salon from the htel de Tesse, which remains there today. The Rosire salon was then sold to French and Company and was for many years used as its New York showroom in a grand setting filled with fine French furniture, even being used on occasion as a location for fashion photographs by Cecil Beaton.