French Transition Style Marquetry and Marble-Top Commode, circa 1860

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French Transition Style Marquetry and Marble-Top Commode, circa 1860

About the Item

Veneered in satinwood, tulipwood, boxwood, sycamore and amaranth. The shaped front with inlaid decoration in three framed panels. The central panel with inlaid of flowers basket flanked by two side panels with geometric marquetry. The sides decorated with inlaid geometric marquetry. The break-front with three drawers « sans traverses » on three rows, standing on carved cabriole legs, the front ones with gilt bronze sabot mounts. Gilt bronze handles, escutcheons and mounts. With a white carrara marble top. French work in Transition style, Napoleon III period commode, circa 1860. The Transition Period (1760-1770) formed a bridge between the Louis XV and Louis XVI styles. The taste for the antique was propagated by a continuous stream of publications, a whole series of works on ancient Greece ant Italy and archaeological studies. It was inevitable that the charming Rococo style had to succumb to such an onslaught. Firstable in 1758 with Ange Laurent de la Live de Jully and the architect Louis Joseph Le Lorrain for a new style furniture command, that you can see today to Chantilly Castle. In 1770 when Madame du Barry gave a reception for the opening of her new Château de Louveciennes, the most exquisite masterpiece of the Louis XVI style, it was apparent that the Louis XV style had become quite out of fashion, at any rate in Paris, before the death of the king whose name had been given to it. Of course furniture did not all in a year assume the new classical decoration and form. There was a time of transition, in this case a decade, when the new principles were being perfected. As always the ornament was first to respond, then the lines and structure. When the transition to Louis XVI was completed, the structural lines were based chiefly on the rectilinear and the curves of the circle and ellipse supplanted the sinuous curves of the Rococo. Straight tapering legs superseded cabriole legs. Much of the grace and beauty were achieved through the perfection of proportions, the faultless balance of all parts, and the harmonious division of the surface into panels and the accuracy of their framing. However, even under Louis XVI some belated pieces, belonging to what is known as the Transition style, had not yet resigned themselves entirely to abandoning their cabriole legs, as may be seen frequently in chairs, commodes, small occasional tables and other delicate tables designed for feminine use. Moreover, all those brilliant and versatile qualities which marked the achievements of Parisian ébénistes under Louis XV were continued under his successor. Little of any importance remained to be discovered in this domain, as we shall see when we consider briefly the work of several great ébénistes. The same woods were used, native and exotic; above all, mahogany enjoyed remarkable favor. Simple mahogany veneers were widely adopted for commodes and the like mounted in gilt bronze. Marble tops continued in fashion and were carefully chosen for color.

Dimensions:
Height: 36.23 in (92 cm)Width: 55.52 in (141 cm)Depth: 20.87 in (53 cm)
Style:
Napoleon III (Of the Period)
Materials and Techniques:
Boxwood,Rosewood,Sycamore,Tulipwood,Veneer
Place of Origin:
France
Period:
Mid-19th Century
Date of Manufacture:
1850-1859
Condition:
Wear consistent with age and use.
Seller Location:
Saint Ouen, FR
Reference Number:
1stDibs: LU173624260493