Commode attributed to Thomas Hache from the early 18th century

A rare Commode (chest of drawers) in natural patinated wood opening to three drawers long attributed to Thomas HACHE
The piece we present was born at the dawn of the creation of the furniture called "commode".
According to the Comte de Salverte, André-Charles Boulle was the "inventor" of the commode around 1690 by transforming the chest - itself coming from the sideboard - by adapting to this piece of furniture the improvements of the cabinet: that is to say, the drawers. Our piece of furniture is thus one of the witnesses of the creative effervescence of the XVIIIth century, which, with the Paris-province gap of the time would be situated in the first quarter of this century.

But then what is its interest?

This piece is a very rare chest of drawers in natural wood by Thomas HACHE
It comes to us in its castle state

Why Thomas HACHE ?

At the beginning of the XVIIIth century, cabinetmakers did not yet affix stamps (except for a few Parisian exceptions). Moreover, for the Louis XIV chests of drawers of Thomas HACHE, there was often confusion with the Grenoble workshops - similarity of form, but no technical equivalence of the assembly.

Only Thomas Hache (and the dynasty) assembled the drawers with rabbet on all its faces "in cardboard hat". Competing workshops in Grenoble generally used only nailed, very rarely rabbeted and only on the sides and front of the drawers. The bottoms are then overflowing the back of the drawer or they are nailed.

The shape, we visually recognize a chest of drawers by Thomas Hache.
- It has a slight curve in the front following a very soft line.
- Its front uprights are characterized by a very ample rounding.

The decoration
- The delicate lightness of the bronze handles of the drawers contrasts with the geometrical design of the front.
- In contrast, the lock entrances with their powerful mascaron
- The harmony of the decoration of the apron
- The original two-layered top with a raised edge - thick, strong and richly molded: recess, cavet, and beak of corbin.

The decoration of the bronzes is in perfect harmony with the rigorous Louis-Quatorzian facade. A masterful rhythmic contrast of the master cabinetmaker's skills.

For the sides, a recessed panel in a large and important molded frame. The rear jambs have a slight longitudinal molding. The front uprights have a large molded reserve along their length, topped by a straight bronze fall.

The front of the drawers, with geometrical reserves and large moldings softened by flat areas on two levels, accommodate the hanging hands of the drawer.

A powerful architecture that affirms the nobility of this beautiful regional furniture.

Provenance : a castle in the South-East of France

Our chest of drawers is a historical witness of Thomas HACHE's creativity and of the evolution of the decorative arts in the early 18th century - circa 1700-1720

Bibliography
ROUGE Pierre, R. F. (2005). Le génie des HACHE. Dijon: Editions Faton.