Furniture

This piece of furniture draws inspiration from its shape in Japanese architecture and furniture. It consists of a cabinet with a large Japanese lacquer panel decorated with floral motifs and gold-coloured birds. In order to remain faithful to the original inspiration, it does not open in the same way as a European door but in a sliding way adding a wink to the interior walls of traditional houses. The decoration that surrounds it consists of wooden lace with lines reminiscent also of an Far Eastern ornamental vocabulary. It rests on a base with overflowing sides adorned in the centre of a heart carved in crystal and framed in gilded bronze. We also find here and there on this piece of furniture gilded bronze ornaments above the claw feet and on the pediment.

The notebook of Henry Pannier tells us that this piece of furniture is a model of Gabriel Viardot which was made in 3 copies. It is designated as follows: “Furniture (mod.Viardot) plates crystal 1/2 lobed vase eagle bronze cover chimeras bronze bronze coiled columns support the vase bronze chimera bronze head at the top”.
Today, only two of the three products have been found, ours and the one at the Corning Museum of Glass. Nevertheless, there are slight differences between the two pieces of furniture. Indeed, the two doors at the bottom, with a decoration of peacocks and another of cocks, are inverted on the two pieces of furniture. Moreover, the patterns of the friezes on the pediment are not exactly identical.

Composed of a display case in the upper part in which two glass shelves stand out on a crimson background, and a body opening to two doors in the lower part, our furniture is decorated with a revival of the famous marquetry Boulle made famous by the cabinetmaker eponymous Charles-André Boulle (1642-1732). Very popular at the end of the seventeenth century, it experienced a revival under the Second Empire.
The marquetry is repeated on both doors and on the sides of the lower part, where a decoration of polished pewter and rosewood arabesques adorns the facades. The two panels are separated in the centre by the imitation of a column with grooves in rosewood marquetry and copper threads, while the ionic capital is carved in gilded bronze. The column surmounts a finely chiseled mascaron in gilded bronze. We find the use of this material in each of the angles of the facade taking the form of a square rosette. The window is also framed by an elegant frieze of marquetry. Finally, the straight lines of our furniture resting on top feet, are underlined by copper threads.
In addition to bearing the signature of the house inside the door, our furniture is also featured in Henry Pannier’s notebooks under the name “Petite vitrine L.XIV marquetry Boulle oak and copper thread”

This small harness inspired by the Chinese incense tables was made of walnut and is decorated with gold bronze medallions. The shelf placed in spacer presents a finely openwork decoration of far-eastern influence. In the centre of this tablet is a gilt bronze medallion, also openwork, and showing a decoration of chinese inspiration: a dragon and a turtle in clouds. Openwork grids also take place at the belt of this harness. In the center of each grid is placed the same type of medallion of gilded bronze, openwork and decorated with extreme-oriental motifs. The marble shelf is embedded in the wood. 

Louis XV style recognizable by its moving lines and the winding ornamentations of its gilded wooden frame, our screen is original by the use of Vernis Martin for the decoration of the front faces. This technique was invented in the 18th century by the Martin Brothers who wanted to imitate the appearance of Japanese and Chinese lacquers. However, the decoration that adorns the lacquers on our screen remains faithful to the Louis XV style of the furniture and illustrates pastoral scenes in shady woods, rather than a decor inspired by the Far East.

This table does not possess stamp or label, nevertheless, it is important to underline the quality of execution. The choice of materials and the precision of the sculpture are typical of Viardot’s work who multiplies the decoration without being ever too much. Thus, this table was very likely made by Gabriel Viardot for l’Escalier de Cristal. Indeed, the quality of realization, the refinement of the decoration and the use of the same bronze decorations lead us to think that this furniture was made by the famous furniture maker, asked by l’Escalier de Cristal. More over, Viardot had a contract stipulating that he was supplier for some exclusive models for  l’Escalier de Cristal.

This attribution was made thanks to the comparative study of the decorations bronzes.