Offered by Antiquités Rigot et Fils
A remarkable "à la Régence" chateau chest of drawers of crossbow shape in precious wood marquetry
Second quarter of the 18th century, circa 1730 -1740
Parisian work of Pierre DANEAU (not stamped)
It opens with four drawers on three rows with visible crossbars darkened with brass. Each compartment of the drawers has a discreet set of crosses in violet wood marquetry in an inlaid frame of chevrons. This decoration is framed by a plate-band of amaranth. The whole is surrounded by a thin band of gilded brass.
The facade has a deep crossbow cut. By this asserted architecture, the shadows cast by the light animate it by playing with its volumes.
The front jambs are curved and strongly pinched. The rear uprights are straight.
The decoration of the lateral parts is remarkable by its composition in marquetry, where we find the decoration of the drawers. That is to say: a rectangular panel of violet wood with latticework included in a concave dark brass frame, itself in two surrounds of a band of amaranth wood with a brass net.
An exceptional gilded bronze trim magnifies and illuminates our chest of drawers.
The falls of espagnolettes that continue with a frieze of oves on a background interlaced to end with a foot with beautiful acanthus leaves and scrolls, hands of fixed draws to central cartridge and attachment motifs abundantly foliated. Very beautiful entrances of locks to the female mask empanaché.
Parisian work attributed to Pierre DANEAU. Second quarter of the 18th century.
It is topped with a remarkable breccia marble of Benou with spandrels and double molding to beak of corbin, the reverse side of the edge to the slight chamfer. Its thickness is 30 mm.
The bottom of the drawers is not altered. A mechanical rolling system makes the operation of these drawers easy. The associated lamp base. Wheels hidden under the legs facilitate the movement of this important piece of furniture without removing the marble.
Our chest of drawers is part of the "great masters of the Regency" such as those mentioned in the reference book, Le style Régence, where Calin DEMETRESCU makes us discover the works of Cressent, Poitou, Doirat, Carel, Lieutaud, Noël Gérard, Doirat or Pierre Daneau.
The piece we present is perhaps an order for a castle entrusted to a prestigious Parisian merchant-merchant who elaborated the design of the exceptional presence of its movement and the balance of its volumes, combined with the creation of its dazzling chiseled bronzes.
An unusual dynamic and rhythm in the construction of a piece of furniture at that time
It emanates a real presence
- A pair of commodes, stamped by Pierre Daneau and dated 1737, is illustrated in the reference book by Calin DEMETRESCU, Le style Régence, éditions De l'Amateur, Paris, 2003, p. 114.
- Stamped chest of drawers by Pierre Daneau in violet wood marquetry from our Collection (see photo)
