Offered by Franck Baptiste Provence
Beautiful commode of tomb form in solid mahogany opening by four drawers on three rows.
Model decorated with shells and rosettes in reserves, on the uprights and on the bottom rail.
Elegant "water drop" feet topped with acanthus leaves.
Beautiful smooth sides with "mirror effect".
Thick original tray with two grooved boards with tongue and molded with a Corbin beak.
Beautiful original bronze ornamentation.
Excellent state of preservation; beautiful quality of mahogany.
Work of Aunis-Saintonge, probably La Rochelle around 1760.
Height : 84 cm ; Width : 130 cm ; Depth : 62,5 cm
Our opinion :
Atypical by its extremely pronounced curve, its smooth sides and its original feet our commode displays a beautiful mahogany of Cuba with some parts speckled.
Despite an obvious stylistic proximity with its Bordeaux cousin, it does not have the double belt of the latter.
All these elements and the cross-checks with other commodes in solid cherrywood allow us to situate it in the old province of Aunis-Saintonge.
The port of La Rochelle is particularly attractive, second port of France in the 1760s for trade with America with hundreds of ships, the city is home to a wealthy clientele.
Our commode is probably a special order from a wealthy shipowner or merchant in La Rochelle.
As in Bordeaux, the bronze handles were ordered from Paris, which allows us to date our model to the years 1760-1770.
This period, known as the "Parisian" period, corresponds to the production of the most beautiful harbor furniture, which competed with the most prominent creations of the capital.
As in Paris, high quality mahogany and beautiful bronze ornamentation are present but the forms remain opulent and the carved decoration still remains in the Regence style.
