Important neoclassical commode Stamped by Pierre DENIZOT

Transition Louis XV / Louis XVI period, circa 1770

Stamped by Pierre DENIZOT born in 1715
Dimensions : H. 89 x W. 131,5 x D. 63,5cm

Pierre Denizot is one of the best Parisian cabinet makers of the transition period Louis XV / Louis XVI. He worked in his father's workshop and obtained his master's degree in 1740, but it was not until his father's death in 1760 that he put his own stamp on his work and established himself as one of the leaders of neoclassical cabinet making. At first he worked for his colleague Léonard Boudin and soon received royal and princely orders for the châteaux of Saint-Germain-en-Laye and Maisons-Lafitte. He also worked for the Duke of Angoulême.

From 1776 onwards, Pierre Denizot became the official supplier to the Comte d'Artois, younger brother of King Louis XVI. His creations are mainly inlaid with geometric motifs, circles, squares, rhombuses and flowers, drawn with rigour. Pierre Denizot died in his workshop in 1782 while executing a furniture for his very young client, the Count of Provence, grandson of Louis XV and future king Charles X.

Pierre Denizot's furniture has been part of the greatest European collections and is still preserved in the reference museums for 18th century French furniture: in Versailles in the Château and Trianon, in Paris in the Cognacq-Jay and Camondo museums, in Geneva in the Museum of Art and History, in London in the Victoria and Albert Museum, etc...

Our chest of drawers can be compared to the one kept at the Château de Versailles, also made by Pierre Denizot: Both chests of drawers are inlaid with quatrefoil motifs in diamond patterns. They are both jumper-shaped, with drawers without crossbars and decorated with almost identical bronzes. The one in the Château de Versailles was delivered by Gilles Joubert on 13 May 1771 for the flat of the Countess of Provence.

The Transition period is the one that tolerates the least mediocrity. Low chests of drawers on legs from the same period are of little interest. The elegance of this particular neoclassical style can be seen in the so-called "sauteuse" chests of drawers, which sublimate the Louis XV and Louis XVI styles. The legs, still Louis XV, with multiple faces, counterbalance the body of the chest of drawers and its straight renaissance lines; their perfection makes a great deal of difference: the curve must be sufficiently prominent but their line must remain taut. The cut-outs in the apron and on the sides are also very important. The positioning and volume of the front and side protrusions are essential for the balance of the furniture.

Our chest of drawers comes from a private collection near Paris, where it was acquired in 1980 from Maitre Blache, auctioneer in Versailles. The quality of these bronzes is exceptional, as is the condition of the original mercury gilding. The precision of the marquetry on our chest of drawers testifies to the technical skill of Pierre Denizot. The precious woods are the same as those used for the chest of drawers in the Château de Versailles: satinwood, rosewood, boxwood fillets, sycamore and green-stained sycamore. The perfect symmetry and the decorative repertoire of the antique are de rigueur. The simulated flutes on the rounded jambs are positioned to precisely contour the superb chased and gilded bronze falls. There are two differences between the Versailles chest of drawers and ours: Our chest has two rows of drawers that simulate three rows, thanks to a marquetry frieze. This process allows for an even more elegant and light look with a high foot. Instead of the Aleppo breccia, our chest of drawers is topped with a rare "Griotte" marble top.

This chest of drawers has been beautifully restored. It is in a perfect state of preservation, with all its original drawer interiors, all its original bronzes, and a very slightly restored veneer of a still very satisfactory thickness. This chest of drawers only shows some restorations due to use and maintenance, especially to the marble which was broken and restored.