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Lot Essay
This pair of decorative painted cabinets are in the distinctive style of George Brookshaw, whose painted furniture and chimney-pieces were popular among the late 18th century elite, including the Prince of Wales (later George IV), Lord Delaval and the Duke of Beaufort. Brookshaw established his workshop in Mayfair in 1777, and produced several cabinets of similar form and decorative language, such as one in the Lady Lever Art Gallery, and illustrated in L. Wood, Catalogue of Commodes, London, 1994. The painted decoration overall and fine detailed painting distinguishes his furniture as quite unique. Although Brookshaw spent his later career as a botanical author-illustrator, many of the central cartouches on his furniture were after paintings by Angelica Kaufmann and her contemporaries.
Wright and Mansfield, who likely made this commode at the end of the partnership, were pre-eminent makers of George III style furniture from 1860-1886. The firm produced a number of pieces in the style of Robert Adam, particularly for their final large commission of Haddo House for the 7th Earl and Countess of Aberdeen in the 1880s, as discussed in E. Harris, 'Adams in the Family: Wright and Mansfield at Haddo, Guisachan, Brook House and Grosvenor Square', Furniture History Society Journal, 1996, vol. XXXII, pp. 141-158. Inspiration for the furnishings were derived from Wright and Mansfield's collection of 18th century furniture, which likely had examples of Brookshaw's work, as they lent pieces of 'painted furniture [such as] Angelica Kauffman painted tables, cabinets, chests of drawers, and such like' to an Exhibition of Furniture at the City and Spitalfields School of Art in 1875 (Journal of the Society of the Arts, 26 March 1875, vol. XXIII, pp.403-406).
Wright and Mansfield, who likely made this commode at the end of the partnership, were pre-eminent makers of George III style furniture from 1860-1886. The firm produced a number of pieces in the style of Robert Adam, particularly for their final large commission of Haddo House for the 7th Earl and Countess of Aberdeen in the 1880s, as discussed in E. Harris, 'Adams in the Family: Wright and Mansfield at Haddo, Guisachan, Brook House and Grosvenor Square', Furniture History Society Journal, 1996, vol. XXXII, pp. 141-158. Inspiration for the furnishings were derived from Wright and Mansfield's collection of 18th century furniture, which likely had examples of Brookshaw's work, as they lent pieces of 'painted furniture [such as] Angelica Kauffman painted tables, cabinets, chests of drawers, and such like' to an Exhibition of Furniture at the City and Spitalfields School of Art in 1875 (Journal of the Society of the Arts, 26 March 1875, vol. XXIII, pp.403-406).