Offered by Galerie Delvaille
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French furniture of the 18th century & French figurative paintings
Paris, circa 1725
Dimensions: H. 83 x W. 130.5 x D. 65 cm
This chest of drawers is a fine example of the sobriety and balance of the French Regency period. Absolute respect for proportions and symmetry. The geometric decoration of the marquetry is reinforced by straight, gilded lines that structure and lighten the massive structure that chests of drawers, descendants of high period chests, still had in the early 18th century.
It opens with four drawers separated by crosspieces decorated with brass fluting. Each upright is also decorated with the same three flutes. On both sides of the fluting, the curling is chevron-shaped, indicating a high level of quality for these commode models. The palissader top is original and in very good condition. Wooden tops, more fragile than later marble tops, have unfortunately often suffered various damages and have sometimes been refinished or even replaced by marble. The sober marquetry is in fact very elaborate: the drawers are veneered with four frieze leaves within a triple frame. The top is decorated with a geometric design in arched reserves. The cabinetmaker has used a beautiful contrasting palissander, with almost black veins on a golden-brown background.
On the sides, the cabinetmaker chose a frieze decoration in amourette, an exotic wood lighter than palissander, to visually highlight the façade.
The bronze ornamentation is chased and gilded. The drop handles and lock escutcheons are rich and unusual. To give this commode a clean line, the cabinetmaker preferred to work the lower drawer in a straight line, without an apron, and to decorate the legs only in marquetry.
This commode is in remarkable condition. The veneer is original, with only a few areas of drilling. The drawer mouldings are in very fine walnut, as befits a Parisian piece of furniture from the first quarter of the 18th century. The structure is in fir, also entirely original. This piece of furniture has just undergone a state-of-the-art restoration, including "recoulissage" of the drawers and a superb buffer varnish.
