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The Royal Boulle Marquetry Commode By Blake
About the Item
This monumental Boulle commode was crafted by Robert Blake, one of the finest and most important English cabinetmakers of his time. It is modeled after the legendary pair of commodes made for France’s King Louis XIV by master ébéniste André-Charles Boulle, which is perhaps the most famous and esteemed of all the treasures now housed at the Palace of Versailles. Constructed of ebony and enveloped on all sides with phenomenal tortoiseshell and doré bronze marquetry and ormolu mounts of undeniable skill and artistry, this commode is the pinnacle of furniture craftsmanship.
The original commodes made by Boulle inspired re-interpretations by history’s most esteemed craftsmen. First created and supplied in 1708 by Boulle for Louis XIV’s bedchamber at Versailles, the original pair was one of only four furnishings deemed worthy enough to be rescued from both destruction and sale after the French Revolution. They were placed in the Bibliothèque Mazarine at the Institut de France, where they became known as the Mazarine Commodes, but have since been returned to Versailles.
What sets this commode apart is the presence of the marks of Robert Blake. The Blake family of cabinet makers was known for their breathtakingly executed Boulle-style marquetry. Blake’s signed works are housed in the Victoria & Albert Museum, the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Frick Collection, at which a very similar pair of commodes signed by Blake resides.
Blake's stamp is featured behind the front left lion paw.
Circa 1820
35“ high x 47 1/2” wide x 24“ deep (88.90 x 120.65 x 60.96 cm)
- Creator:Robert Blake (Maker)
- Dimensions:Height: 35 in (88.9 cm)Width: 47.5 in (120.65 cm)Depth: 24 in (60.96 cm)
- Style:Louis XIV (In the Style Of)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:Circa 1820
- Condition:
- Seller Location:New Orleans, LA
- Reference Number:
About the Seller
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- ShippingRetrieving quote...Ships From: New Orleans, LA
- Return PolicyThis item cannot be returned.
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