Lot Essay
Jean-Georges Robierscky (died 1822), active circa 1790
Jean-Georges Robierscky (1760-1822), born in Copenhagen, established himself in Paris around 1789-90. He specialised in mahogany furniture and supplied a number of desks to the Garde-Meuble Royal in the early days of the Revolution. Lippold may be the Lippolde recorded in the Almanach du Commerce in 1819 and 1820 at 29 enclos. St.-Martin (see D. Ledoux-Lebard, Les Ebénistes Parisiens (1795-1830), Paris, 1951, p.194.
In 1791 Robierscky supplied a number of pieces of furniture for the Cabinet du Roi at the Tuileries including an armoire serre-papiers (illustrated A. Pradère, French Furniture Makers, London, 1989, p.424, fig. 524,.
Louis XVI and his family were confined to the Tuileries from 6 October 1789. The Palace was in particularly bad state of preservation having been visited by Louis XV for the last time in 1744. However Queen Marie-Antoinette had retained small appartments there since 1784 for her visits to the Opéra. These furnishings and the remaining furniture at the Tuileries were supplemented by fresh orders from the administration des Bâtiments et des Garde-Meuble and items brought from the other royal palaces. By 1790 Louis XV appears to have realised that the Tuileries was to be their permanent residence and both he and Marie-Antoinette set to ordering furnishings more in keeping with this. For a further discussion of the Tuileries during this period see M. Battestin, 'La famille royale aux Tuileries et l'installation de mobilier', Exhibition Catalogue, De Paris à Versailles, Mairie de V.e arrondissement, Paris, 1989, pp.65-69
This pair of tables is most likely to have been provided for the use of Queen Marie-Antoinette at the Tuileries between 1790 and 1792. This would accord with work being carried out for the palace by Robierscky at this time. They are also conceived in the less elaborate style of that date. It is also interesting to note the similartiy in design of these tables with Swedish furniture of this date. A similar table by Gottleib Iwersson illustrated E. Fischer, Kongl. Slottssnickaren och Schatullmakaren Gottlieb Iwersson, Göteborg, 1916, fig. 13. Robierscky, brought up in Copenhagen and the son of a cabinet-maker, is likely to have been strongly influenced by such designs.
It is possible that these tables served originally as bases for display cabinets. Marie-Antoinette is known to have had a large collection of Japanese lacquer, jewellery and other ornaments much of which she had entrusted to Daguerre and Lignereux for safe keeping and which is listed by A. Tuetey, Inventaire des Laques Anciennes et des Objets de curiosité de Marie-Antoinette, etc., pp.299-319
The original use of these tables is uncertain. Their present form is not one that is particularly easy to reconcile with 18th Century usage.
as stands for rare marble
slabs which Marie-Antoinette
collected or alternatively
as stands for coffers or display
cabinets
Jean-Georges Robierscky (1760-1822), born in Copenhagen, established himself in Paris around 1789-90. He specialised in mahogany furniture and supplied a number of desks to the Garde-Meuble Royal in the early days of the Revolution. Lippold may be the Lippolde recorded in the Almanach du Commerce in 1819 and 1820 at 29 enclos. St.-Martin (see D. Ledoux-Lebard, Les Ebénistes Parisiens (1795-1830), Paris, 1951, p.194.
In 1791 Robierscky supplied a number of pieces of furniture for the Cabinet du Roi at the Tuileries including an armoire serre-papiers (illustrated A. Pradère, French Furniture Makers, London, 1989, p.424, fig. 524,.
Louis XVI and his family were confined to the Tuileries from 6 October 1789. The Palace was in particularly bad state of preservation having been visited by Louis XV for the last time in 1744. However Queen Marie-Antoinette had retained small appartments there since 1784 for her visits to the Opéra. These furnishings and the remaining furniture at the Tuileries were supplemented by fresh orders from the administration des Bâtiments et des Garde-Meuble and items brought from the other royal palaces. By 1790 Louis XV appears to have realised that the Tuileries was to be their permanent residence and both he and Marie-Antoinette set to ordering furnishings more in keeping with this. For a further discussion of the Tuileries during this period see M. Battestin, 'La famille royale aux Tuileries et l'installation de mobilier', Exhibition Catalogue, De Paris à Versailles, Mairie de V.e arrondissement, Paris, 1989, pp.65-69
This pair of tables is most likely to have been provided for the use of Queen Marie-Antoinette at the Tuileries between 1790 and 1792. This would accord with work being carried out for the palace by Robierscky at this time. They are also conceived in the less elaborate style of that date. It is also interesting to note the similartiy in design of these tables with Swedish furniture of this date. A similar table by Gottleib Iwersson illustrated E. Fischer, Kongl. Slottssnickaren och Schatullmakaren Gottlieb Iwersson, Göteborg, 1916, fig. 13. Robierscky, brought up in Copenhagen and the son of a cabinet-maker, is likely to have been strongly influenced by such designs.
It is possible that these tables served originally as bases for display cabinets. Marie-Antoinette is known to have had a large collection of Japanese lacquer, jewellery and other ornaments much of which she had entrusted to Daguerre and Lignereux for safe keeping and which is listed by A. Tuetey, Inventaire des Laques Anciennes et des Objets de curiosité de Marie-Antoinette, etc., pp.299-319
The original use of these tables is uncertain. Their present form is not one that is particularly easy to reconcile with 18th Century usage.
as stands for rare marble
slabs which Marie-Antoinette
collected or alternatively
as stands for coffers or display
cabinets