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拍品專文
This richly inlaid cabinet, with lush marquetry of fruiting pods and foliage framed by beautifully chased, sculptural mounts typical of the mature work of Jean-Pierre Latz, almost certainly formed part of the celebrated furnishings supplied to Madame Infante in Paris circa 1750-55 for her palace in Colorno following her marriage in 1749 to Infante Don Philippe of Spain, Duke of Parma and third son of Philip V of Spain. In 1752 and 1753 alone these purchases, the majority of which were supplied by Madame de Pompadour's favourite marchand-mercier Lazare Duvaux, filled almost fifty wagons and in 1752 the royal couple spent the staggering sum of 200,000 livres.
The mark 'ML' with a crown on this cabinet is that of Empress Marie-Louise, Napoleon's second wife, who in 1815 was made Duchess of Parma. In the 1961 Parke-Bernet sale, the other cabinet in the pair so described as also being branded 'CR' with a crown, with the inventory number 566.2 (this brand is almost erased on the current cabinet) indicating that the cabinets remained at Colorno until after the fall of the Dukes of Parma and the subsequent reintegration of Parma into the Kingdom of Italy in 1860, as 'CR' stands for Casa Reale as opposed to Casa Ducale. Much of the furniture and bronzes d'ameublement from Colorno are now in the Palazzo Quirinale, Rome.
These cabinets appear to have been modified at some stage in the 19th century, as their sides are reveneered and there are signs of alterations to the plinths and backs. Interestingly, a pair of corner cabinets with almost identical mounts, and which have also undergone modifications (by a restorer in Turin, presumably before being transferred from Parma), remain at the Palazzo Quirinale, leading to the conclusion that both they and the pair of cabinets were part of a suite at Colorno which were then adapted for some unknown reason, but perhaps to fit a particular architectural setting.
THE ATTRIBUTION TO LATZ
This cabinet and its pair are discussed by Henry Hawley in his seminal work on the German-born cabinet-maker Jean-Pierre Latz (circa 1691-1754). Hawley makes a convincing case for their attribution based on identical chutes and sabots appearing on a number of other pieces attributed to Latz, along with the distinctive seed pod marquetry and the arrangement of mounts in the vertical dividing panel between the doors. It is also significant to note that Latz supplied other furniture to Madame Infante for her palace at Parma, including two celebrated commodes which remain in the Palazzo Quirinale (Hawley op. cit., cat. nos. 21 and 28).
The mark 'ML' with a crown on this cabinet is that of Empress Marie-Louise, Napoleon's second wife, who in 1815 was made Duchess of Parma. In the 1961 Parke-Bernet sale, the other cabinet in the pair so described as also being branded 'CR' with a crown, with the inventory number 566.2 (this brand is almost erased on the current cabinet) indicating that the cabinets remained at Colorno until after the fall of the Dukes of Parma and the subsequent reintegration of Parma into the Kingdom of Italy in 1860, as 'CR' stands for Casa Reale as opposed to Casa Ducale. Much of the furniture and bronzes d'ameublement from Colorno are now in the Palazzo Quirinale, Rome.
These cabinets appear to have been modified at some stage in the 19th century, as their sides are reveneered and there are signs of alterations to the plinths and backs. Interestingly, a pair of corner cabinets with almost identical mounts, and which have also undergone modifications (by a restorer in Turin, presumably before being transferred from Parma), remain at the Palazzo Quirinale, leading to the conclusion that both they and the pair of cabinets were part of a suite at Colorno which were then adapted for some unknown reason, but perhaps to fit a particular architectural setting.
THE ATTRIBUTION TO LATZ
This cabinet and its pair are discussed by Henry Hawley in his seminal work on the German-born cabinet-maker Jean-Pierre Latz (circa 1691-1754). Hawley makes a convincing case for their attribution based on identical chutes and sabots appearing on a number of other pieces attributed to Latz, along with the distinctive seed pod marquetry and the arrangement of mounts in the vertical dividing panel between the doors. It is also significant to note that Latz supplied other furniture to Madame Infante for her palace at Parma, including two celebrated commodes which remain in the Palazzo Quirinale (Hawley op. cit., cat. nos. 21 and 28).