Offered by Galerie Delvaille
French furniture of the 18th century & French figurative paintings
Paris, circa 1720/1725
Width 180 cm
Depth 85 cm
Height 74cm
At the end of the reign of Louis XIV, black desks adorned with gilded bronzes became a hallmark of power and success in Paris. These desks were obviously manufactured to very different levels of quality, depending on their patrons. The design and cabinetmaking varied greatly, ranging from simple, functional desks produced in thousands of copies to the most elaborate desks, all sides finished, with beautiful bronze fittings.
This desk is one of the first "flat" desks, with three drawers in a row around the edge. This option reduces the storage space but streamlines the lines and gives full scope to the bronze ornamentation. The central drawer is recessed, like an inverted projection, which provides greater comfort for the user and adds rhythm to the front. This recess also has the advantage of positioning beautiful bronze corner pieces flanking the central drawer. The desk is veneered partly with ebony and partly with blackened fruitwood. Designed to be placed in the center of a room, it is identically decorated on its opposite sides, with three perfectly simulated drawers on one of the long sides.
Unlike common desks, this one is not adorned with any copper trim. The cabinetmaker's intention was to create a pure and modern design.
The bronze ornamentation is finely crafted, and the models were certainly designed for this desk. The crowbar-shaped sabots, the mascarons on the trim around the central drawer, and the spandrels on the top are inspired by the decorative repertoire of Louis XIV; but the exterior trim and fixed pull handles are already in the Louis XV style.
The line of the legs is superb. Thanks to strong uprights, the top of the legs joins the apron with a broad curve, while the lower part is slender thanks to a fifth interior panel. The rectangular top is upholstered in superb custom-dyed leather from Lemerle, decorated with small irons and gold leaf. The leather is encircled with an original bronze ingot.
The desk is mounted on fir wood with oak legs. The drawer recesses are made of walnut and oak. Perfectly restored, this desk is in an excellent state of preservation.
