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Lot Essay
Bernard Molitor, maître in 1788.
This semainier was originally supplied en suite with a commode stamped 'Molitor JME', which was sold anonymously in these Rooms, 11 June 1992, lot 11 and subsequently exhibited in Bernard Molitor 1755-1833, Galerie d'Art et La Ville de luxembourg, 7 October-10 December 1995, cat.9. With its distinctive combination of plain, unencumbered expanses of fine quality acajou mouchété veneers and restrained geometric brass inlay, all architecturally framed by detached, fluted colonettes, it is typical of Molitor's oeuvre and can be confidently dated between October 1788 - when he was elected maître - and 1791, when the guild was abolished. Interestingly, as Ulrich Leben pointed out in the Exhibition catalogue, the commode (and sécrétaire) are both designed to dissasemble easily to facilitate shipping, a technique that was also employed by contemporaries such as David Roentgen.
Further pieces in this distinctive taste include a companion commode attributed to Molitor, sold anonymously at Christie's New York, 21 October 1997, lot 265, and a commode and companion upright sectrétaire attributed to Molitor in a Private collection. Surprisingly, however, a further commode of almost identical form is recorded as being stamped by Jean-Jacques Pafrat (French art market), whilst a closely related upright secretaire is known to have been stamped by Jean-Henri Reisener. However, as Leben has already pointed out in Molitor, London, 1992, several pieces are stamped by both Molitor and Reisener, and there must, therefore have been quite extensive co-operation between their ateliers.
We are extremely grateful to Dr. Ulrich Leben, Deputy Keeper of the James A. de Rothscild Collection at Waddesdon Manor, for his assistance in preparing this catalogue entry.
This semainier was originally supplied en suite with a commode stamped 'Molitor JME', which was sold anonymously in these Rooms, 11 June 1992, lot 11 and subsequently exhibited in Bernard Molitor 1755-1833, Galerie d'Art et La Ville de luxembourg, 7 October-10 December 1995, cat.9. With its distinctive combination of plain, unencumbered expanses of fine quality acajou mouchété veneers and restrained geometric brass inlay, all architecturally framed by detached, fluted colonettes, it is typical of Molitor's oeuvre and can be confidently dated between October 1788 - when he was elected maître - and 1791, when the guild was abolished. Interestingly, as Ulrich Leben pointed out in the Exhibition catalogue, the commode (and sécrétaire) are both designed to dissasemble easily to facilitate shipping, a technique that was also employed by contemporaries such as David Roentgen.
Further pieces in this distinctive taste include a companion commode attributed to Molitor, sold anonymously at Christie's New York, 21 October 1997, lot 265, and a commode and companion upright sectrétaire attributed to Molitor in a Private collection. Surprisingly, however, a further commode of almost identical form is recorded as being stamped by Jean-Jacques Pafrat (French art market), whilst a closely related upright secretaire is known to have been stamped by Jean-Henri Reisener. However, as Leben has already pointed out in Molitor, London, 1992, several pieces are stamped by both Molitor and Reisener, and there must, therefore have been quite extensive co-operation between their ateliers.
We are extremely grateful to Dr. Ulrich Leben, Deputy Keeper of the James A. de Rothscild Collection at Waddesdon Manor, for his assistance in preparing this catalogue entry.