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Lot Essay
This cabinet bears the coat-of-arms of both Edmond Caumont de La Force, 9th Duc de La Force, and of Charlotte-Georgina-Henriette Smythe, daughter of Walter Smythe and widow of George-Auguste Craven. It was most probably commissioned to celebrate their wedding which took place on 19 October 1844, or to adorn their Château des Mèches, the new house they commissioned in the Val de Marne, France.
Julien-Nicolas Rivart established his business in 1835 where he began decorating porcelainware and later extended his abilities to the manufacture of bronzes and meubles de fantaisie. He invented and mastered the technique of 'Porcelain Marquetry' for which he obtained a patent in 1848 pour la marqueterie de porcelaine formant des bouquets de fleurs, des groupes de fruits, ornements, sujets, etc., qui s'incrustent dans le bois.
Rivart was awarded sixteen medals at the 1851 Crystal Palace Great Exhibition. He also exhibited furniture and items decorated with his newly invented marqueterie de porcelaine at the 1855 and 1862 Great Exhibitions. Upon his death in 1867, the technique passed away with him.
Although best known as a bronze founder, Victor Paillard (1805-1886) also created and produced his own sculptures and groups, and designed and made chenets, candelabra, other decorative objects and clocks. He opened his own business of Bronze d'art et d'ameublement in the 1830s, first showing his own work at the Exposition des produits de l'industrie in 1839. His casts are usually marked with the initials VP surmounted with a closed crown, such as on the present cabinet, which suggests a collaboration between both craftsmen.
Julien-Nicolas Rivart established his business in 1835 where he began decorating porcelainware and later extended his abilities to the manufacture of bronzes and meubles de fantaisie. He invented and mastered the technique of 'Porcelain Marquetry' for which he obtained a patent in 1848 pour la marqueterie de porcelaine formant des bouquets de fleurs, des groupes de fruits, ornements, sujets, etc., qui s'incrustent dans le bois.
Rivart was awarded sixteen medals at the 1851 Crystal Palace Great Exhibition. He also exhibited furniture and items decorated with his newly invented marqueterie de porcelaine at the 1855 and 1862 Great Exhibitions. Upon his death in 1867, the technique passed away with him.
Although best known as a bronze founder, Victor Paillard (1805-1886) also created and produced his own sculptures and groups, and designed and made chenets, candelabra, other decorative objects and clocks. He opened his own business of Bronze d'art et d'ameublement in the 1830s, first showing his own work at the Exposition des produits de l'industrie in 1839. His casts are usually marked with the initials VP surmounted with a closed crown, such as on the present cabinet, which suggests a collaboration between both craftsmen.