Louis XV Style Vitrine Table, François Linke and Léon Messagé French, circa 1900

François Linke, the most important French ébéniste of his time. Born in Bohemia in 1855, Linke moved to Paris in 1881 where he established his now-famous workshop and showroom. Linke's superior work spread quickly through France and he soon eclipsed even the finest furniture houses of Paris. Today, Linke is counted among the most important furniture makers of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and his work is dearly coveted by collectors. Linke is celebrated for designing highly innovative furnishings by infusing the Rococo style with the Art Nouveau trends of Paris and this Louis XV style desk exemplifies his highly original style.

Léon Messagé had a brilliant, but short-lived career. He is best known for his incredible sculptural collaboration with François Linke for the 1900 Paris Exposition Universelle. A gifted sculptor, Messagé was also responsible for much of the design and creative work for Roux et Brunet and Joseph-Emmanuel Zwiener. Messagé enjoyed great success as a designer/sculptor before he collaborated with Linke. Indeed, he was mentioned as a Gold Medal winner at the 1889 International Exhibition and was especially praised for his work on a cabinet by Zwiener. He came into contact with Linke in 1885, and it appears from then on Linke employed him regularly. Messagé was primarily influenced by Rococo ornament, but he strove to re-interpret it. He did not produce slavish copies, and his original approach can be appreciated in Linke's celebrated Grande Bibliothèque and Grand Bureau exhibited at the 1900 Paris Exposition Universelle. Several drawings by Messagé are recorded, and after his success at the exhibition of 1889, he was encouraged to publish his designs. Cahier de dessins & croquis, style Louis XV: bronzes, orfèvrerie, décoration, meubles was first published by the sculptor himself, from his Paris address of 40 rue Sedaine. There were five sections with an elaborate title page surmounted by the sculptor's cipher or talisman of a wing, a pun on his name as the messenger to the Gods, a motif he used many times on the handles of furniture designed for Linke. As a sculptor, Messagé was trained to produce a wax maquette or model before working on a piece. For Messagé, it was not just a matter of producing decorative mounts the piece was conceived as sculpture, bronze, timber and marquetry as one.