拍品专文
The source for the marquetry panel on the fall-front is an engraving by F. Basan after a painting by P.-A. de Machy (1723-1807). This engraving, entitled Vi Ruine, formed part of a set of eight engravings of similar scenes taken from his paintings. De Machy was highly regarded during the 18th Century for his architectural ruins and was described L'Avant-Coureur of 23 January, 1784 as being in l'unique en ce genre. This same scene appears in reverse on an unstamped transitional commode in the Calouste Gulbenkian Collection, Lisbon (catalogue no.676) and on a table méchanique by Christophe Wolff (maître in 1755) in the Louvre (see: G. de Bellaigue, Ruins in Marquetry, Apollo, January 1968, pp.12-16 for a further discussion of the engraved sources for marquetry ruins and figs 11 and 12 for the engraving relevant to this secretaire and the Louvre table respectively).
Similar townscapes to those on the drawer also appear on the drawer of a bonheur-du-jour by Wolff sold Ader-Picard-Tajan, Monte-Carlo, 11 November 1984, lot 105.
In the Apollo article de Bellaigue discusses the possibility that Wolff may have specialised in marquetry ruins and identifies a group of pieces of furniture probably by this maker similar to the Louvre table such as a table méchanique at Waddesdon (see: G. de Bellaigue, The James A. de Rothschild Collection at Waddesdon Manor, Furniture, Fribourg, 1974, Vol.I, pp.398-407).
It is thought that many ébénistes of the time purchased marquetry panels from specialists such as André-Louis Gilbert (1746-1809). It would also seem likely that in an age when marquetry decoration was in such demand, the larger ateliers would have perhaps had their own marquetry specialist (G. de Bellaigue, Engravings and the French Eighteenth-Century Marqueteur, Burlington Magazine, May 1965, pp.240-250 [Part 1] and July 1965, pp.356-363 [Part II]).
Similar marquetry panels appear on various pieces of furniture sold at Christie's, for example a Louis XVI commode by Gilbert and a Louis XVI bureau à cylindre, sold from the Edward James Collection, West Dean Park, Sussex, 2, 3 and 6 June 1986, lots 135 and 137 respectively, and a bureau à cylindre by Denizot, sold twice in these Rooms, most recently 6 July 1978, lot 112. Similar marquetry also appears on a table à ecrire, a secretaire and a commode from the Cartier Collection, sold Sotheby's Monaco, 25-27 November 1979, lots 143, 167 and 168 respectively.
Similar townscapes to those on the drawer also appear on the drawer of a bonheur-du-jour by Wolff sold Ader-Picard-Tajan, Monte-Carlo, 11 November 1984, lot 105.
In the Apollo article de Bellaigue discusses the possibility that Wolff may have specialised in marquetry ruins and identifies a group of pieces of furniture probably by this maker similar to the Louvre table such as a table méchanique at Waddesdon (see: G. de Bellaigue, The James A. de Rothschild Collection at Waddesdon Manor, Furniture, Fribourg, 1974, Vol.I, pp.398-407).
It is thought that many ébénistes of the time purchased marquetry panels from specialists such as André-Louis Gilbert (1746-1809). It would also seem likely that in an age when marquetry decoration was in such demand, the larger ateliers would have perhaps had their own marquetry specialist (G. de Bellaigue, Engravings and the French Eighteenth-Century Marqueteur, Burlington Magazine, May 1965, pp.240-250 [Part 1] and July 1965, pp.356-363 [Part II]).
Similar marquetry panels appear on various pieces of furniture sold at Christie's, for example a Louis XVI commode by Gilbert and a Louis XVI bureau à cylindre, sold from the Edward James Collection, West Dean Park, Sussex, 2, 3 and 6 June 1986, lots 135 and 137 respectively, and a bureau à cylindre by Denizot, sold twice in these Rooms, most recently 6 July 1978, lot 112. Similar marquetry also appears on a table à ecrire, a secretaire and a commode from the Cartier Collection, sold Sotheby's Monaco, 25-27 November 1979, lots 143, 167 and 168 respectively.