Commode with four rows

France, Louis XVI period, last quarter of the 18th century.
Framed in oak and softwood ; mahogany and speckled mahogany ; gilded bronze ; gilded copper ; veined white marble.

Rectilinear in shape and remarkably executed, this commode built in oak and softwood and veneered in mahogany opens on the front in a surprising manner by means of four rows of drawers with brass crosspieces, each bordered by a frieze in gilded bronze enclosing a speckled mahogany veneer of a very particular elegance. These drawers feature two stylized hexagonal grip handles in gilded bronze with falling, non-fixed pull handles. The central part of each of them is enhanced with a gilded bronze keyhole framing clover-patterned locks. The front angles in solid mahogany are rounded and decorated with roughened grooves. These angles structure and frame a discreet belt the size of the crosspieces flanked by a gilded copper band. A similar but wider quarter-round frieze highlights the perimeter of the lower part and slightly projects from the furniture at the corners. The short sides of the commode each display a large mahogany veneered compartment with a bronze frame identical to that of the drawers on the front, flanked, in the axis of the rear legs, by a rectangular pilaster with three raised grooves. The commode rests on four "spinning top" legs in solid mahogany with almost conical shaped rings and sabots molded in gilded bronze, the latter including a finely chiseled beribboned ring. A top of veined white marble crowns it all.

The discretion of the gilded bronze ornaments is explained by the grace and beauty of the two shades of mahogany, a type of wood which gradually allowed craftsmen in the last quarter of the 18th century to do without bronzes. Some pieces of furniture instead have a mahogany veneer constituting the main decoration. Indeed, regardless of its species, mahogany can have a particular veining. This is firstly due to the direction of cutting of the wood, transverse or longitudinal, which made it possible to create interesting curls. But more surprisingly, it can also be modified during the growth of the tree by malformations, therefore presenting a multitude of variations. It can be, as is the case on our commode, speckled, thus becoming eminently decorative.

If the author of our piece of furniture remains anonymous, it is nevertheless important to mention that it does not lack originality with a height of 40 inches, a dimension which is almost close to that expected for a piece of furniture with support height.

POSSIBLE ATTRIBUTIONS :
The current state of our research pushes us to humbly establish two hypotheses as to the author of the creation of this chest of drawers : the cabinetmakers Étienne Avril (1748-1791, master in 1774) and Jacques Laurent Cosson (1734-1812, master in 1765).
Born in 1748, Étienne Avril, nicknamed Avril the Elder, was established on rue de Charenton at the corner of rue Moreau. Received master in 1774, he offered during his activity as a cabinetmaker, according to a publication of the time, "quantity of commode, consoles, bibliothèques, secrétaires and chiffoniers in mahogany and Indian wood, etc.". Indeed, mahogany and satin dominated the production of the craftsman, a follower it seems, of rigorous lines and large plain surfaces, specific to the taste of the end of the 18th century, thus creating furniture with clear shapes, light and perfectly proportioned. Bronzes were practically non-existent, most often reduced to keyholes and sometimes to fine framing strips, discreetly highlighting the architecture of the furniture. His work enjoyed a certain reputation since he also received orders for Marie-Antoinette's apartment at the Château de Saint-Cloud. He handed over his workshop shortly before the Revolution to his younger brother Pierre while retaining stores that he operated near the Porte Saint-Antoine. Avril died on June 24, 1791, leaving such an inventory that it took three auctions lasting several days each to disperse his large stock.
Born in 1737, Jacques Laurent Cosson, a renowned cabinetmaker who attained mastery in 1765, established his workshop on rue de Charonne in a building bearing the "Grand Monarque" sign. His production generally included Louis XVI style furniture veneered in mahogany with strict gilded bronze framing strips. A set of this type of commode and its two encoignures belonged in particular to the Espirito Santo collection (sale in Paris on June 14, 1955) and Niarchos. He also supplied more than 3,000 pounds worth of furniture to Count Armand Marc de Montmorin Saint-Hérèm (1745-1792) for his new hotel on rue Plumet built by Alexandre-Théodore Brogniart (1739-1813).
If none of these leads has allowed us to date to reach a formal conclusion as to the manufacturer of this piece of furniture, we were however unable to resist, because of its originality and its quality of execution, the pleasure of be able to present it.

Very good general condition, usual restorations and maintenance.