Louis XV slant-front secretary

This week, a curious and very pretty secretary/spine desk in Boulle marquetry and rosewood from the Louis XV period. Yes, the reuse of Boulle marquetry wasn't only fashionable under Napoleon III! In fact, Boulle marquetry never ceased to have admirers in the 18th century. The renewed interest was particularly noticeable from the 1750s onward. Prominent furniture merchants, such as Lazare Duvaux, resold them at exorbitant prices to prestigious clients. Madame de Pompadour herself bought a commode to give to her brother, the future Marquis de Marigny, as a New Year's gift in 1753. But fashions change, and desks, Mazarine commodes, and large, monumental wardrobes were no longer in vogue. Thus, people readily modified and dismantled furniture to adapt it to the innovations of the time.

This is the case with this slant-back desk. The 1750s were the golden age of this piece of furniture, which had been created twenty years earlier.

The origin of this marquetry?

Well, in my opinion, two possibilities exist: a Mazarin desk or a Mazarin chest of drawers. In both cases, we find the same top and drawer fronts. The sides are a bit more debatable.

Apart from some tortoiseshell restorations that have turned redder, the brass marquetry is quite well preserved: most of the engravings are still visible. It should be noted that the bronze fittings are not original. The tool marks on the backing correspond precisely to the two periods, that of manufacture and that of alteration. Only the rosewood veneer on the uprights and a few grafts are from more recent restorations.

The decoration of this desk, similar to the work of Nicolas Sageot (Master in 1706), is probably inspired by drawings by the ornamentalist Jean Bérain., «"Draughtsman for the King's Chamber and Cabinet"» From 1674. It depicts characters from the commedia dell'arte sheltered under scalloped canopies, as well as chimeras, birds, leafy scrolls and flowery basins. In the center is a scene depicting three children dancing.

A renovator of grotesques and arabesques, Bérain developed a style far removed from the solemnity advocated by Le Brun, who died in 1690. He brought back into fashion sinuous lines, curves and contours, and the graceful interlacing patterns inherited from the fantasies of the Renaissance.

State of affairs report

Overall, the piece was in fairly good condition: no major marquetry was missing, and the structure was sound, free of wormholes. However, all the glues had dried out: all the brass fittings were peeling off, and the tortoiseshell had formed typical blisters. And of course, there were still unsightly glue repairs to remove.

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The Restoration

The restoration therefore consisted of rehydrating and regenerating all the adhesives by infiltration and pressing, with a slight application of heat. We replaced the missing pieces of tortoiseshell, brass, and veneer.

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After stripping the old varnish, we cleaned the Boulle marquetry with a gel made from animal glue. This oxidation transfer process was developed by the C2RMF and is described in Technè magazine, issue no. 49. We then varnished the piece using a French polish, applying colorless shellac.

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To see previous restorations : https://ebenisterie-mathieuvath.fr/en-ce-moment-a-latelier/

You can find this piece of furniture at the Dagault gallery