拍品专文
Bernard II van Risenburgh, maître in 1730.
The 'C' couronné poinçon was a tax mark employed on any alloy containing copper between March 1745 and February 1749.
The elegant curves, refined marquetry and superb ormolu mounts of this writing table demonstrate the expertise of one of the most famous cabinetmakers of the reign of Louis XV, Bernard II van Risenburgh ('BVRB'). It is part of a production of small luxury pieces of furniture that he developed in the 1740s, intended for the apartments and cabinets of wealthy connoisseurs, such as the one delivered in 1746 by the marchand-mercier Thomas-Joachim Hébert (1687-1773) for the private cabinet of the Dauphine Marie-Thérèse-Raphaëlle (1726-1746), in Versailles (inv. no. V6057). This type of furniture reflects the development of comfort in wealthy 18th-century interiors and the importance given to convenience in smaller spaces.
Several BVRB-stamped writing tables of similar design have come under the hammer, notably at Christie's, New York, on 30 April 1999, lot 106 from the prestigious sale 'The Alexander Collection' ($310,500), or more recently at Christie's New York, on 14 October 2020, lot 41 from the sale 'The Private Collection of Jayne Wrightsman' ($312,500) and another at Christie's, London, on 12 November 2020, lot 14 (£65,000).
His collaboration with the great Parisian marchands-merciers of the mid-eighteenth century, such as Thomas-Joachim Hébert, Lazare Duvaux and Simon-Philippe Poirier, enabled BVRB to design exceptional pieces of furniture and reach a prestigious clientele. Their funding enabled him to create gilt bronze mounts of unprecedented opulence, revealing the flawless quality and finesse of chasing typical of his work as a cabinetmaker. The marchands-merciers also supplied him with precious materials such as Japanese lacquer and Sèvres porcelain, which were later incorporated into his finest creations. Although he responded to specific commissions, he developed a highly personal and identifiable style. He is particularly renowned for the quality of his marquetry, a continuation of the work of André Charles Boulle, Louis XIV's great cabinetmaker. More specifically, he used a particularly refined form of marquetry known as bois de bout, which can be seen on the present lot writing table. The use of bois de bout in marquetry creates a wide range of decorative effects. Bois de bout is a way of cutting the wood perpendicular to the log, creating circular patterns and revealing the wood's concentric rings. This distinguishes it from grain wood, cut parallel to the log, most commonly used for veneer. The craftsman can use the natural patterns of the wood obtained to decorate furniture.
The 'C' couronné poinçon was a tax mark employed on any alloy containing copper between March 1745 and February 1749.
The elegant curves, refined marquetry and superb ormolu mounts of this writing table demonstrate the expertise of one of the most famous cabinetmakers of the reign of Louis XV, Bernard II van Risenburgh ('BVRB'). It is part of a production of small luxury pieces of furniture that he developed in the 1740s, intended for the apartments and cabinets of wealthy connoisseurs, such as the one delivered in 1746 by the marchand-mercier Thomas-Joachim Hébert (1687-1773) for the private cabinet of the Dauphine Marie-Thérèse-Raphaëlle (1726-1746), in Versailles (inv. no. V6057). This type of furniture reflects the development of comfort in wealthy 18th-century interiors and the importance given to convenience in smaller spaces.
Several BVRB-stamped writing tables of similar design have come under the hammer, notably at Christie's, New York, on 30 April 1999, lot 106 from the prestigious sale 'The Alexander Collection' ($310,500), or more recently at Christie's New York, on 14 October 2020, lot 41 from the sale 'The Private Collection of Jayne Wrightsman' ($312,500) and another at Christie's, London, on 12 November 2020, lot 14 (£65,000).
His collaboration with the great Parisian marchands-merciers of the mid-eighteenth century, such as Thomas-Joachim Hébert, Lazare Duvaux and Simon-Philippe Poirier, enabled BVRB to design exceptional pieces of furniture and reach a prestigious clientele. Their funding enabled him to create gilt bronze mounts of unprecedented opulence, revealing the flawless quality and finesse of chasing typical of his work as a cabinetmaker. The marchands-merciers also supplied him with precious materials such as Japanese lacquer and Sèvres porcelain, which were later incorporated into his finest creations. Although he responded to specific commissions, he developed a highly personal and identifiable style. He is particularly renowned for the quality of his marquetry, a continuation of the work of André Charles Boulle, Louis XIV's great cabinetmaker. More specifically, he used a particularly refined form of marquetry known as bois de bout, which can be seen on the present lot writing table. The use of bois de bout in marquetry creates a wide range of decorative effects. Bois de bout is a way of cutting the wood perpendicular to the log, creating circular patterns and revealing the wood's concentric rings. This distinguishes it from grain wood, cut parallel to the log, most commonly used for veneer. The craftsman can use the natural patterns of the wood obtained to decorate furniture.