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Lot Essay
This medallion, depicting an allegory of sculpture, is the work of Michel Rummer (1747-1812), who was marqueteur in the workshop of David Roentgen (1743-1807). Undoubtedly, this piece did not start life as a simple marquetry panel but was a panel removed from the doors of an important commode or secrétaire by Roentgen. Notably, it is identical to a panel ornamenting the large cabinet sent in 1776 by Roentgen to Charles-Alexandre de Lorraine, governor of the Austrian Netherlands in Brussels (Vienna, Osterreichisches Museum für Angewandte Kunst, H 269). Roentgen made two other examples of this ambitious piece that were sold in 1779: one to the Crown Prince of Prussia, Frederick-Wilhelm (today in the Berlin Kunstgewerbemuseum, O-1962,24) and the other to Louis XVI. The latter sécretaire was sold in 1827 and taken to pieces shortly after. Its marquetry panels today form the tops of various tables held in museums around the world (Bayerische Nationalmuseum, Munich L83/198; National Gallery, Washington 1942.9.416; Victoria & Albert Museum, London 1076-1882 and the Château de Versailles V5789.) From descriptions, we do know that Luis XVI’s piece displayed the same panels as that of the Crown Prince of Prussia without the allegory of sculpture.
It is equally possible that the panel with the allegory of sculpture originated from a different piece of furniture bought by Louis XVI from Roentgen in March 1779, the three-door commode identical to the one in the Victoria and Albert Museum (W.51-1948). The King kept a record of his purchase in his personal account book of 11 April 1779: «J’ai payé aux allemands pour une grande commode, 2400L».
The piece continued to be known as ‘the German commode’ and was placed in the King’s dispatch room at Versailles. On its move from Versailles to the Tuileries in 1792, it was described in greater detail with its five marquetry panels, three rectangular and two ovals, representing Astronomy and the Arts:
Ancienne pièce des buffets : « Une commode mécanique en bois de placage, dite des allemands, ladite commode ouvrant à trois vantaux par différents mouvements ; le dedans composé d’un mécanisme particulier dont le roi a la clef. L’extérieur de la commode plaqué à tableaux de bois fond satiné et ombré sur les trois faces, deux médaillons et un tableau sur le devant, un tableau de chaque côté représentant l’Astronomie et les Arts, en figures de bois de rapport ombrées au feu (Archives nationales, O1 3426).
This description could not belong to any of the three commodes of this type by Roentgen currently known (that of the Victoria & Albert Museum, which belonged to the Comtesse d’Artois, that of the Bayerische Nationalmuseum, Munich and that of the Metropolitan Museum, New York), due to their marquetry panels depicting various allegories of comedy. For the same reason, the panels re-laid into an ebony cabinet by Beurdeley (Anonymous Sale; Sotheby’s, New York, 19 November 1993, lot 70), also allegorical of comedy – can’t come from Louis XVI’s commode. The panels showing the arts mentioned in the description above would certainly have included Painting and Sculpture and undoubtedly also Geometry, Music or Architecture.
It is equally possible that the panel with the allegory of sculpture originated from a different piece of furniture bought by Louis XVI from Roentgen in March 1779, the three-door commode identical to the one in the Victoria and Albert Museum (W.51-1948). The King kept a record of his purchase in his personal account book of 11 April 1779: «J’ai payé aux allemands pour une grande commode, 2400L».
The piece continued to be known as ‘the German commode’ and was placed in the King’s dispatch room at Versailles. On its move from Versailles to the Tuileries in 1792, it was described in greater detail with its five marquetry panels, three rectangular and two ovals, representing Astronomy and the Arts:
Ancienne pièce des buffets : « Une commode mécanique en bois de placage, dite des allemands, ladite commode ouvrant à trois vantaux par différents mouvements ; le dedans composé d’un mécanisme particulier dont le roi a la clef. L’extérieur de la commode plaqué à tableaux de bois fond satiné et ombré sur les trois faces, deux médaillons et un tableau sur le devant, un tableau de chaque côté représentant l’Astronomie et les Arts, en figures de bois de rapport ombrées au feu (Archives nationales, O1 3426).
This description could not belong to any of the three commodes of this type by Roentgen currently known (that of the Victoria & Albert Museum, which belonged to the Comtesse d’Artois, that of the Bayerische Nationalmuseum, Munich and that of the Metropolitan Museum, New York), due to their marquetry panels depicting various allegories of comedy. For the same reason, the panels re-laid into an ebony cabinet by Beurdeley (Anonymous Sale; Sotheby’s, New York, 19 November 1993, lot 70), also allegorical of comedy – can’t come from Louis XVI’s commode. The panels showing the arts mentioned in the description above would certainly have included Painting and Sculpture and undoubtedly also Geometry, Music or Architecture.