Cabinet

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Cabinet

ArtistAttributed to Alexandre Roux French, active 1837-1881

Dateabout 1865

DimensionsOverall: 50 1/2 x 51 x 18 1/2 in. (128.3 x 129.5 x 47 cm)

MediumRosewood, marquetry, porcelain, bronze

ClassificationFurniture

Credit LineGift of Dr. and Mrs. Edward A. Kern

Object number

1986.53

Not on View

Collections

Decorative Arts

Label TextIn the mid-1800s, much of American interior design was inspired by styles from the European past. Alexander Roux and other French cabinetmakers who established shops in New York in the early 1800s were familiar with current fashions and historical styles in Europe. This cabinet, a display piece usually found in an entrance hall or drawing room, features elements such as the winged mask that are borrowed from the Italian Renaissance of the 1500s. The turquoise ceramic plaque on the door recalls the French Rococo style of the 1700s. However, this European ornamentation is joined by elements from the American landscape—look for the stalks of wheat and morning glories—illustrating the nation’s interest in nature.