Commode with Marquetry Decoration
Artist: Joseph Baumhauer (French, died 1772)
Date: about 1767-1772, possibly a decade earlier
Dimensions:
34 x 50 in. (86 x 127 cm)
Medium: oak veneered with tulipwood (bois de rose), kingwood, casuarina, and purple-heart; gilded bronze mounts; breccia marble top
Classification: Furniture
Credit Line: Purchased with funds from the Florence Scott Libbey Bequest in Memory of her Father, Maurice A. Scott
Object number: 1976.38
Label Text:A German-born cabinetmaker working in France, Joseph Baumhauer emerged as one of the most important furniture makers of the 18th century, his work sought after by a distinguished and selective international clientele. About 1749, he was made a dealer and cabinetmaker to King Louis XV (ruled 1715–1774).
This commode, or chest of drawers, features Baumhauer’s innovative use of marquetry (inlaid wood) and gilded bronze. It is remarkable for its tightly organized design, with the whole two-drawer front treated as a single decorative unit. Also notable is the exceptional craftsmanship and closely integrated design of the wood marquetry. Finely chased gilded bronze garlands frame the marquetry of delicate tendrils and floral clusters on the drawer fronts, while subtly curving corner mounts taper down the legs into leafy, scrolling feet known as sabots.
This commode, or chest of drawers, features Baumhauer’s innovative use of marquetry (inlaid wood) and gilded bronze. It is remarkable for its tightly organized design, with the whole two-drawer front treated as a single decorative unit. Also notable is the exceptional craftsmanship and closely integrated design of the wood marquetry. Finely chased gilded bronze garlands frame the marquetry of delicate tendrils and floral clusters on the drawer fronts, while subtly curving corner mounts taper down the legs into leafy, scrolling feet known as sabots.
On view
In Collection(s)