Bureau à gradin after a model by André-Charles Boulle, Paris, 19th century

Desk after a model by André-Charles BOULLE, in rosewood veneer and pewter inlays. It has a tier at the top, opening with a central door, six small drawers and six larger drawers at the ends, topped by an ogee cornice including a secret locker. The sliding upper plate reveals a writing desk lined with old rose velvet and three drawers in the back.
It opens with three drawers belt. The desk rests on eight sheathed legs, joined by two spacers.
Rich decoration of foliage and cartridges with pewter inlays. The bases and capitals of the sheathed feet are in wood carved with foliage and gilded.

Louis XIV style, second half of the 19th century.

Condition reports : small losses and restorations to the veneer.


A desk with a similar base by André-Charles BOULLE (1642, Gueldre - 1732, Paris), from the end of the 17th century, is kept by the Centre des Monuments Nationaux at the castle of Jossigny in Seine-et-Marne [1].

A desk with a similar base and marquetry kept at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris [2].
A desk kept at the Victoria & Albert Museum in London also has a similar base [3].

The lower structure of the desk is directly inspired by the "bureaux brisés" (literally "broken desks") made by Jean I BERAIN (1640-1711) and Alexandre Jean OPPENORDT (1639-1715) for King Louis XIV, one of which is kept in its original form at the Metropolitan Museum of New York [4] and the other, modified in the 19th century, is kept at the Palace of Versailles [5].

The feet of the desk are similar to the chest on its plinth from the Anna Gould collection, Duchess of Talleyrand, kept at the J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles [6].


[1] CHATEAU, JOSSIGNY, BOULLE André Charles, "Bureau", Paris, 4th quarter of the 17th century, listed as a Historical Monument on February 22, 1944.
[2] MUSEE DES ARTS DECORATIFS, PARIS, BOULLE André-Charles, "Bureau", Paris, vers 1680, pewter and amaranth marquetry, gilded copper, inv. CLUNY 11761.1.
[3] VICTORIA & ALBERT MUSEUM, LONDRES, BOULLE André-Charles, "Bureau plat", Paris, 1690, boulle marquetry bureau with ormolu mounts, inv. W.19-1997.
[4] METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ARTS, NEW YORK, BERAIN Jean I, OPPENORDT Alexandre Jean, "Bureau brisé", Paris, circa 1685, steel, rosewood, bronze, oak, ebony, tortoiseshell, walnut, pine, inv. 1986.365.3.
[5] MUSÉE NATIONAL DES CHÂTEAUX DE VERSAILLES ET DE TRIANON, VERSAILLES, BERAIN Jean I, OPPENORDT Alexandre Jean, "Bureau", Paris, 1685, bronze, oak, ebony, tortoiseshell, brass, rosewood, inv. V2015.43.
[6] J. P. GETTY MUSEUM, LOS ANGELES, BOULLE André-Charles (attr. to), "Coffer on a stand", Paris, 1684-89, Oak, cypress, and walnut veneered with tortoise shell, blue-painted horn, ebony, rosewood, padauk, pewter, and brass; gilt-bronze mounts; mirror glass, inv. 82.DA.109.1.



BIBLIOGRAPHY

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EXHIBITIONS

• "Colbert (1619-1683)", Paris, Hôtel de la Monnaie, 4 October 1983 - 30 November 1983.
• "Louis XIV" at the Getty, The J. Paul Getty Museum at the Getty Center, Los Angeles, June 9, 2015 to July 31, 2016.