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拍品专文
Jean-Pierre Latz (1691-1754), appointed ébéniste privilégié du Roi in 1741.
Jean-François Oeben (1721-1763), maître in 1761.
AN ORIGINAL MARQUETRY
This fabulous secrétaire à abattant shows the virtuosity of the cabinetmakers of the reign of Louis XV, who revived floral marquetry in the tradition of André-Charles Boulle. It is perfectly in keeping with the rococo aesthetic, with its gentle lines, charming floral composition and the lightness of its bronzes, which elegantly underline the inlaid panels. It also owes its elegance to its curved shapes, playing between convex and concave, with the delicately curved doucine at the top and the slightly arched legs. The fall front is a remarkable example of floral marquetry, requiring the use of a wide range of finely cut woods, both natural, such as rosewood, violet wood, amaranth and palisander, and stained, in this case green for some of the foliage. These elements are then meticulously inlaid into a sheet of veneer. To create these extravagant bouquets illustrating numerous species of flowers, the inlayers often called on painters to compose their cartoons, which they then used as models. The flowers in our desk seem to have been inspired by the drawings by Louis Tessier illustrated in L. Tessier, Livre de fleurs dédié à M. Buffon, Paris, N. d, pp. 4-5 and in L. Tessier, Livre de fleurs dédié aux dames, Paris, 1713, p. 5 and p.9.
The pineapples on the two lower panels make it a truly original piece of furniture. Discovered by the Europeans who set out to conquer the New World in the 16th century, the pineapple quickly became a symbol of wealth and royalty. It was extensively described by explorers and finally elevated to the rank of "King of Fruits" by Jean-Baptiste du Tertre in his Histoire générale des Antilles habitées par les Français, published in 1664. Pineapple cultivation then spread to the coasts of Africa and the Portuguese islands, but by the 18th century it was also grown in the royal gardens of the greatest courts. Its arrival on the opulent tables of the aristocracy coincided with the taste of privileged circles for the exotic. From then on, painters and ornamentistes adopted the pineapple as a motif, alongside monkeys and exotic birds. The golden fruit topped with a green crown intrigued and aroused admiration, gradually becoming a symbol of beauty, royalty and political power. A fruit that only a privileged few could eat, it gradually replaced the pomegranate and pinecone motifs on royal textiles. For example, it can be seen on the blue and gold silk lampas of Louis XV's royal chair, depicted in coronation dress in 1760 by Louis-Michel Van Loo, a version of which is kept at the Château de Versailles (inv. MV 7238).
Its exotic and mysterious appearance also gives the pineapple a mystical dimension. Associated with gold and the crown, but also devoid of any pre-existing cultural resonance, it was seen as the symbol of the king's divine right. The pineapple was nicknamed "King Pine" at the English Court, and King Charles II even commissioned a portrait from the painter Hendrick Danckerts around 1675-1680, now in the Royal Collection Trust (inv. RCIN 406896), in which the fruit is presented to him by his gardener John Rose. In the same spirit, Dunmore Pineapple House in Scotland is an architectural "folly" built in 1761, with a monumental pineapple as its dome. The fashion for the pineapple made it pervasive in decorative arts. In the marquetry of this secretary, the crowned fruit can be seen emerging from its green foliage. The infatuation with the king of fruits lasted until the end of the 18th century.
A COLLABORATION BETWEEN JEAN-PIERRE LATZ AND JEAN-FRANÇOIS OEBEN
Jean-Pierre Latz (circa 1691-1754) was a highly regarded cabinetmaker who supplied furniture to prestigious clients such as the Duc de Penthièvre, King Frederick II of Prussia before the Seven Years’ War (1756-1763), the Elector of Saxony, King of Poland, and Auguste III, father of the Dauphine. Of German origin, he arrived in Paris in 1719 and was naturalized in 1736. Before 1741, he obtained a royal patent granting him the privileges equivalent to a title of master. He established a large workshop on rue du Faubourg Saint-Antoine under the name "Saint-Esprit", which included nine cabinetmakers' workshops and three chiselers' workshops. This went against the rules of the guilds, which prohibited the practice of both bronze and cabinetmaking. He founded his own bronzes, which enabled him to perfect the models and adapt them to his furniture. With the help of his nephew, the Flemish-born Jean-Pierre Tillmans, who was head of the workshop at the time, Latz produced chests of drawers, desks and a significant number of clock cases and cartels. Much of his furniture is covered in marquetry, sometimes of uneven quality, which suggests that he sometimes subcontracted work. He eventually incurred the wrath of the community of founders, who in 1749 seized all his chasing tools, the casting models and a large quantity of bronze pieces. The report of this seizure revealed the presence of 2288 models and bronze parts in his workshop, which allows us to confirm that he retained almost exclusive use of these models before that date. A significant number of unstamped pieces of furniture can therefore be attributed to him. After his death, his widow took over the workshop for only a short time as she died two years later in 1756.
Latz's furniture is characterized by its extremely animated forms, in line with the rococo style of his time. His bronzes are very contoured and jagged, with marked curves and counter-curves. He often used the same ornamental repertoire, such as palms, branches or rococo elements, which are found on this secrétaire, and sometimes even bird wings. The carcass of this piece of furniture and its bronzes can therefore be attributed to him. As for the marquetry, it illustrates floral compositions in rather light tones with round flowers or small pomegranate motifs, which stand out against a darker background. The stems are also executed in even darker tones. He often used a satiny background with an amaranth frame. Although the marquetry of Latz and Oeben is sometimes very similar in style, our fall-front secrétaire seems to be closer in execution to Jean-François Oeben’s.
Initially based on rue du Faubourg Saint-Antoine, Jean-François Oeben was certainly in contact with Flemish cabinetmakers such as the Criards, the Vanrisamburgs and the Vandercruses, as well as with Jean-Pierre Latz. It is likely that Oeben worked for Latz and that they collaborated on several pieces of furniture. Indeed, some of Latz's furniture, with its accentuated rococo shapes and the gilt bronzes typical of the cabinetmaker, is combined with the highly detailed floral marquetry panels characteristic of Jean-François Oeben's work.
The magnificent marquetry on our secrétaire may therefore be the work of the latter, one of the most ingenious cabinetmakers of the 18th century, known as much for his mechanical furniture as for the quality of his marquetry. He trained in Charles-Joseph Boulle's workshop in the Louvre, before becoming the King's cabinetmaker in 1754. He lived at the Gobelins until 1761, where he set up a workshop that made him famous both in France and abroad. He worked with marchands-merciers such as Lazare Duvaux, who gave him access to a prestigious clientele, including Madame de Pompadour, for whom he made furniture. In the 1750s and 1760s, he mainly created flower marquetry in realistic style, as seen on this secrétaire. The composition of the marquetry and the great accuracy with which it was executed are characteristic of his work. The harmony and clarity of the bouquet reflect the craftsmanship of his work. The blossoming flowers are highly naturalistic, contrasting with those that are still closed. The side panels also feature floral compositions with a central rosette set in a circle. Another rare and beautiful example of a secrétaire made by Oeben during this period with this kind of floral marquetry is kept at the Residenz in Munich (inv.26, DE000172, BSV). It was made around 1754-1756, but the bronzes are attributed to Claude-Thomas Duplessis.
We can cite several known collaborations works between Latz and Oeben , such as the four corner cupboards kept at the Getty (inv. 72.DA.69.2) and a commode made for the Dauphine's bedroom at the Château de Choisy-le-Roi, sold at Christie's New York on 2 November 2000. It is also possible that, after Latz's death, Oeben bought back unfinished pieces of furniture with their bronzes and finished them with his own marquetry. These elements allow us to attribute this secretaire à abattant to Latz, for the carcase and bronzes, and Oeben for the marquetry.
Jean-François Oeben (1721-1763), maître in 1761.
AN ORIGINAL MARQUETRY
This fabulous secrétaire à abattant shows the virtuosity of the cabinetmakers of the reign of Louis XV, who revived floral marquetry in the tradition of André-Charles Boulle. It is perfectly in keeping with the rococo aesthetic, with its gentle lines, charming floral composition and the lightness of its bronzes, which elegantly underline the inlaid panels. It also owes its elegance to its curved shapes, playing between convex and concave, with the delicately curved doucine at the top and the slightly arched legs. The fall front is a remarkable example of floral marquetry, requiring the use of a wide range of finely cut woods, both natural, such as rosewood, violet wood, amaranth and palisander, and stained, in this case green for some of the foliage. These elements are then meticulously inlaid into a sheet of veneer. To create these extravagant bouquets illustrating numerous species of flowers, the inlayers often called on painters to compose their cartoons, which they then used as models. The flowers in our desk seem to have been inspired by the drawings by Louis Tessier illustrated in L. Tessier, Livre de fleurs dédié à M. Buffon, Paris, N. d, pp. 4-5 and in L. Tessier, Livre de fleurs dédié aux dames, Paris, 1713, p. 5 and p.9.
The pineapples on the two lower panels make it a truly original piece of furniture. Discovered by the Europeans who set out to conquer the New World in the 16th century, the pineapple quickly became a symbol of wealth and royalty. It was extensively described by explorers and finally elevated to the rank of "King of Fruits" by Jean-Baptiste du Tertre in his Histoire générale des Antilles habitées par les Français, published in 1664. Pineapple cultivation then spread to the coasts of Africa and the Portuguese islands, but by the 18th century it was also grown in the royal gardens of the greatest courts. Its arrival on the opulent tables of the aristocracy coincided with the taste of privileged circles for the exotic. From then on, painters and ornamentistes adopted the pineapple as a motif, alongside monkeys and exotic birds. The golden fruit topped with a green crown intrigued and aroused admiration, gradually becoming a symbol of beauty, royalty and political power. A fruit that only a privileged few could eat, it gradually replaced the pomegranate and pinecone motifs on royal textiles. For example, it can be seen on the blue and gold silk lampas of Louis XV's royal chair, depicted in coronation dress in 1760 by Louis-Michel Van Loo, a version of which is kept at the Château de Versailles (inv. MV 7238).
Its exotic and mysterious appearance also gives the pineapple a mystical dimension. Associated with gold and the crown, but also devoid of any pre-existing cultural resonance, it was seen as the symbol of the king's divine right. The pineapple was nicknamed "King Pine" at the English Court, and King Charles II even commissioned a portrait from the painter Hendrick Danckerts around 1675-1680, now in the Royal Collection Trust (inv. RCIN 406896), in which the fruit is presented to him by his gardener John Rose. In the same spirit, Dunmore Pineapple House in Scotland is an architectural "folly" built in 1761, with a monumental pineapple as its dome. The fashion for the pineapple made it pervasive in decorative arts. In the marquetry of this secretary, the crowned fruit can be seen emerging from its green foliage. The infatuation with the king of fruits lasted until the end of the 18th century.
A COLLABORATION BETWEEN JEAN-PIERRE LATZ AND JEAN-FRANÇOIS OEBEN
Jean-Pierre Latz (circa 1691-1754) was a highly regarded cabinetmaker who supplied furniture to prestigious clients such as the Duc de Penthièvre, King Frederick II of Prussia before the Seven Years’ War (1756-1763), the Elector of Saxony, King of Poland, and Auguste III, father of the Dauphine. Of German origin, he arrived in Paris in 1719 and was naturalized in 1736. Before 1741, he obtained a royal patent granting him the privileges equivalent to a title of master. He established a large workshop on rue du Faubourg Saint-Antoine under the name "Saint-Esprit", which included nine cabinetmakers' workshops and three chiselers' workshops. This went against the rules of the guilds, which prohibited the practice of both bronze and cabinetmaking. He founded his own bronzes, which enabled him to perfect the models and adapt them to his furniture. With the help of his nephew, the Flemish-born Jean-Pierre Tillmans, who was head of the workshop at the time, Latz produced chests of drawers, desks and a significant number of clock cases and cartels. Much of his furniture is covered in marquetry, sometimes of uneven quality, which suggests that he sometimes subcontracted work. He eventually incurred the wrath of the community of founders, who in 1749 seized all his chasing tools, the casting models and a large quantity of bronze pieces. The report of this seizure revealed the presence of 2288 models and bronze parts in his workshop, which allows us to confirm that he retained almost exclusive use of these models before that date. A significant number of unstamped pieces of furniture can therefore be attributed to him. After his death, his widow took over the workshop for only a short time as she died two years later in 1756.
Latz's furniture is characterized by its extremely animated forms, in line with the rococo style of his time. His bronzes are very contoured and jagged, with marked curves and counter-curves. He often used the same ornamental repertoire, such as palms, branches or rococo elements, which are found on this secrétaire, and sometimes even bird wings. The carcass of this piece of furniture and its bronzes can therefore be attributed to him. As for the marquetry, it illustrates floral compositions in rather light tones with round flowers or small pomegranate motifs, which stand out against a darker background. The stems are also executed in even darker tones. He often used a satiny background with an amaranth frame. Although the marquetry of Latz and Oeben is sometimes very similar in style, our fall-front secrétaire seems to be closer in execution to Jean-François Oeben’s.
Initially based on rue du Faubourg Saint-Antoine, Jean-François Oeben was certainly in contact with Flemish cabinetmakers such as the Criards, the Vanrisamburgs and the Vandercruses, as well as with Jean-Pierre Latz. It is likely that Oeben worked for Latz and that they collaborated on several pieces of furniture. Indeed, some of Latz's furniture, with its accentuated rococo shapes and the gilt bronzes typical of the cabinetmaker, is combined with the highly detailed floral marquetry panels characteristic of Jean-François Oeben's work.
The magnificent marquetry on our secrétaire may therefore be the work of the latter, one of the most ingenious cabinetmakers of the 18th century, known as much for his mechanical furniture as for the quality of his marquetry. He trained in Charles-Joseph Boulle's workshop in the Louvre, before becoming the King's cabinetmaker in 1754. He lived at the Gobelins until 1761, where he set up a workshop that made him famous both in France and abroad. He worked with marchands-merciers such as Lazare Duvaux, who gave him access to a prestigious clientele, including Madame de Pompadour, for whom he made furniture. In the 1750s and 1760s, he mainly created flower marquetry in realistic style, as seen on this secrétaire. The composition of the marquetry and the great accuracy with which it was executed are characteristic of his work. The harmony and clarity of the bouquet reflect the craftsmanship of his work. The blossoming flowers are highly naturalistic, contrasting with those that are still closed. The side panels also feature floral compositions with a central rosette set in a circle. Another rare and beautiful example of a secrétaire made by Oeben during this period with this kind of floral marquetry is kept at the Residenz in Munich (inv.26, DE000172, BSV). It was made around 1754-1756, but the bronzes are attributed to Claude-Thomas Duplessis.
We can cite several known collaborations works between Latz and Oeben , such as the four corner cupboards kept at the Getty (inv. 72.DA.69.2) and a commode made for the Dauphine's bedroom at the Château de Choisy-le-Roi, sold at Christie's New York on 2 November 2000. It is also possible that, after Latz's death, Oeben bought back unfinished pieces of furniture with their bronzes and finished them with his own marquetry. These elements allow us to attribute this secretaire à abattant to Latz, for the carcase and bronzes, and Oeben for the marquetry.