Small Louis XVI lady’s secrétaire, stamped Evald

Small lady’s secrétaire à pans coupés, adorned with rich marquetry of flowers and ribbons, with gardening attributes, on a sycamore ground, within rosewood frames and amaranth stringing, opening with one drawer, a fall-front, and two doors. The drawer is inlaid with a balustrade motif on a green-stained wood background. Discreet ornamentation of finely chased and gilded bronze mounts, Carrara white marble top, stamped Evald (Master in 1765), Louis XVI period.

The very original decoration of this piece, strongly inspired by botany, suggests that the artist was influenced, or even guided, by the taste for nature imposed by Queen Marie Antoinette at the Petit Trianon in Versailles.

Maurice Bernard Evald was received as Master in October 1765 and worked for only nine short years, but for a very wealthy clientele, such as King Louis XV, Queen Marie Antoinette, the Duke of Orléans, and the Duke of Aumont.