Lot Essay
Jean-Frederick Ratie, matre in 1783
The light color of the lacquer on the cupboards is highly unusual. In 1781 the inventory of M. Duperier-Dumouriez, counsel to the King and treasurer of France at Montauban cites in the salon "deux encoignures un guichet chacune vernie chinois et or fond blanc avec dessus de marbre blanc 240 livres". The decoration described corresponds to the lacquer found on these encoignures.
The general design and ormolu mounts date these corner cupboards to the Louis XV period, while the geometric design of the frieze announces the beginning of neoclassicism. It is therefore unlikely that Jean-Frderic Ratie is the maker of this pair of encoignures as he did not become a matre bniste until 1783. He probably performed some sort of restoration on the cupboards and applied his stamp on that occasion.
The light color of the lacquer on the cupboards is highly unusual. In 1781 the inventory of M. Duperier-Dumouriez, counsel to the King and treasurer of France at Montauban cites in the salon "deux encoignures un guichet chacune vernie chinois et or fond blanc avec dessus de marbre blanc 240 livres". The decoration described corresponds to the lacquer found on these encoignures.
The general design and ormolu mounts date these corner cupboards to the Louis XV period, while the geometric design of the frieze announces the beginning of neoclassicism. It is therefore unlikely that Jean-Frderic Ratie is the maker of this pair of encoignures as he did not become a matre bniste until 1783. He probably performed some sort of restoration on the cupboards and applied his stamp on that occasion.