French Empire Mahogany and Gilded Bronze Cheval Mirror

A mahogany cheval mirror and jewellery cabinet, once belonging to Leitizia Bonaparte, Napoleon's mother. The veneered semi circular topped mirror framed by columns topped with gilt bronze cassolettes and single arm candle holders. The bottom section is fronted by two doors which open to reveal nine shallow leather cartonniers and six jewellery drawers; the whole carcass richly decorated with gilt bronze friezes and various classical motives. Similar gilded bronze mounts are found on various pieces of furniture in the collection of the Louvre Paris. This rare museum worthy piece of furniture came from the Chateau Du Pont Sur Seine. The piece is not stamped but the quality of the mahogany and the amount of finely chiseled and burnished gilt bronze mounts, plus the presence of the cartonnier and jewellery drawers almost certainly point to a royal provenance and which almost certainly came from the workshop of Georges Jacob. The Chateau De Pont Sur Seine was originally built in 1632 and hosted such important historical figures as Catherine de Medicis and Cardinal Richelieu. In the late 17C it was acquired by the Duc de Saxony, one of Louis XVI’s uncles whose family maintained ownership until 1792 until the start of the French Revolution when they had to vacate to escape the guillotine. While it suffered damage by the revolutionairies it was still very habitable and in 1805, Napoleon purchased the chateau for his mother Madame Letizia Bonaparte where she resided until Napoleon’s fall from grace in 1814. Madame Mere...

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