.jpg?w=1)
Lot Essay
André-Louis Gilbert maître 1774.
This commode was almost certainly acquired by David Murray, 2nd Earl of Mansfield and 7th Viscount Stormont (d. 1796) in the mid 1770s during his service as George III's ambassador to the court of Louis XVI.
This commode, with its distinctive use of repousse gilt-metal mounts dating from 1775, is characteristic of Gilbert's oeuvre. These same mounts recur on a group of secrétaires, both in marquetry and vernis martin, which were executed by Gilbert for the marchand-mercier Léonard Boudin. These include one sold by the Marquess of Cholmondeley, Works of Art from Houghton, 8 December 1994, lot 74. All have channelled friezes, panels with concave angles enclosed within almost identically-cast frames and mounts.
The inventory taken following the death of Madame Boudin in 1777 is extremely revealing. It records the recognition that Monsieur Filaine owed Boudin 12,578 livres for supplying furniture. The settlement of this outstanding bill was due by the end of August 1775, but Boudin experienced great difficulty in extracting payment, and it was not finally settled until the end of 1776. Thus these secretaires - and therefore this commode - can be accurately dated to 1775.
According to the label on the reverse the present commode was moved from Logie House, the Earl of Mansfield's summer residence, in 1967. Alan David Murray, 6th and 5th Earl of Mansfield lived at Logie House from 1939 to 1958. The house was pulled down in the mid 1960s.
This commode was almost certainly acquired by David Murray, 2nd Earl of Mansfield and 7th Viscount Stormont (d. 1796) in the mid 1770s during his service as George III's ambassador to the court of Louis XVI.
This commode, with its distinctive use of repousse gilt-metal mounts dating from 1775, is characteristic of Gilbert's oeuvre. These same mounts recur on a group of secrétaires, both in marquetry and vernis martin, which were executed by Gilbert for the marchand-mercier Léonard Boudin. These include one sold by the Marquess of Cholmondeley, Works of Art from Houghton, 8 December 1994, lot 74. All have channelled friezes, panels with concave angles enclosed within almost identically-cast frames and mounts.
The inventory taken following the death of Madame Boudin in 1777 is extremely revealing. It records the recognition that Monsieur Filaine owed Boudin 12,578 livres for supplying furniture. The settlement of this outstanding bill was due by the end of August 1775, but Boudin experienced great difficulty in extracting payment, and it was not finally settled until the end of 1776. Thus these secretaires - and therefore this commode - can be accurately dated to 1775.
According to the label on the reverse the present commode was moved from Logie House, the Earl of Mansfield's summer residence, in 1967. Alan David Murray, 6th and 5th Earl of Mansfield lived at Logie House from 1939 to 1958. The house was pulled down in the mid 1960s.