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Lot Essay
Joseph Schmitz, maître in 1761.
This elegant commode is profusely inlaid with a pattern of floral sprays, butterflies and birds, and the arrangement with doors has resulted in large 'pictures' in wood with a powerful and dense effect. Schmitz specialised in floral marquetry furniture from the off-set of his career and executed various related examples with drawers inlaid sans traverse; his commodes à portes, however, allowed him to execute the most abundant 'pictures' and demontrate his talent as a gifted marqueteur. The present commode was almost certainly executed just after Schmitz obtained his maîtrise, when his work shows close similarities to that of his contemporary Pierre III Migeon, who, intriguingly, also became a master in 1761.
This elegant commode is profusely inlaid with a pattern of floral sprays, butterflies and birds, and the arrangement with doors has resulted in large 'pictures' in wood with a powerful and dense effect. Schmitz specialised in floral marquetry furniture from the off-set of his career and executed various related examples with drawers inlaid sans traverse; his commodes à portes, however, allowed him to execute the most abundant 'pictures' and demontrate his talent as a gifted marqueteur. The present commode was almost certainly executed just after Schmitz obtained his maîtrise, when his work shows close similarities to that of his contemporary Pierre III Migeon, who, intriguingly, also became a master in 1761.