Offered by Galerie Delvaille
French furniture of the 18th century & French figurative paintings
Dimensions: H. 85.5 cm x W. 147 cm x D. 68 cm
François Mondon, born in 1694, occupies a special place among 18th-century French furniture makers. Like Doirat and Migeon, Mondon made a name for himself during the Regency period, working in his Paris workshop on the rue du Faubourg Saint-Antoine. He immediately specialized in the manufacture of commodes, even though this type of furniture had only recently emerged at the end of the 17th century. Originally from the Dauphiné region, he initially produced straight, often quite simple, Regency-style commodes reminiscent of those made by Thomas Hache from Grenoble; but he achieved master status in Paris around 1730 by creating Louis XV-style commodes with powerful curves. He worked for Migeon, but signed his best pieces, some of which can be found in the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Lyon, the castle of Versailles, and the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris.
I dislike the term "tomb commode" that could be used to describe our commode: this term encompasses too wide a range of commodes, whose only common characteristic is the double curve of the front, both horizontal and vertical. The vast majority of "tomb commodes" are pieces of furniture with straight sides, slight curves on the front, almost identical dimensions, and adorned with unoriginal and poorly chased bronze mounts. These commodes were mass-produced until 1760, and they have now lost much of their value. This price drop is all the more pronounced because the cost of restoration for these marquetry commodes with their curved fronts is high, often far exceeding their market value. For this type of commode, one should now only consider exceptional, rare pieces for which a high-level restoration is truly worthwhile.
Our commode was made in Paris around 1740, at the height of François Mondon's talent. Its generous dimensions create a spectacular effect. Yet, the balance of depth, height, and width, all three enhanced, remains perfect. The meticulous marquetry consists of multiple frames and butterfly wings, crafted from the finest king wood. The pronounced curves, both on the front and sides, create a violin-like shape that counterbalances the piece's substantial volume. The front opens to reveal five drawers in three rows, the top row concealing a small drawer between the side drawers. Five brass flutes, separating the drawers and adding rhythm to the sides, accentuate the commode's elegant lines.
The bronze mounts on this commode are breathtakingly rich: they were custom-designed for this piece, featuring unique decorative elements. Rather than a lengthy description of the 16 bronzes, I invite you to observe their originality, the precision of their chasing, and the quality of the gilding in the photographs.
This piece by Mondon is in remarkable condition. It has retained its entire frame and over 95% of its veneer. The bronzes are all original, though largely regilded. The commode is topped with its beautiful original marble, a Belgian Rance marble, predominantly brown/red with white and gray veining. The veneer was largely removed and reapplied to allow for a perfect restoration of the frame and the drawer slides. A traditional French polish ("Vernis au tampon") was applied before the bronzes were reinstalled. This lasting restoration was carried out by one of the finest Parisian workshops and required nearly 200 hours of work.
