Restoration of a Louis XIV period commode veneered with olive burl, ash and walnut, probably from the Dauphiné region.
This type of D-shaped chest of drawers, along with the Mazarine chest, is among the very first chests of drawers popularized under Louis XIV. The first French furniture resembling the chest of drawers did not appear until around 1700. The oldest known and datable Parisian chests of drawers are those delivered by André-Charles Boulle At Versailles around 1708, their decorations, very understated, were inspired by Dutch designs. They were often the work of Protestant cabinetmakers, who were very fond of native woods, in accordance with the precepts of the Reformed religion. This is particularly true for olive veneer. During the great winter of 1709, thousands of olive trees perished: the artisans of the Dauphiné region salvaged them to make furniture (The Century of Louis XIV, p. 249).
But beyond the decorative qualities of the olive tree, it was above all its symbolism—peace, reconciliation, and hope—that fueled its popularity among the Huguenot elite. The high quality of the bronze "sea horse" handles is particularly noteworthy.
Bibliography
- Voltaire: The Century of Louis XIV. Paris: Garnier Frères, 1919.
- Provincial Cabinetmaking in 18th-Century France and Abraham Nicolas Couleru by Bernard Deloche and Jean-Yves Mornand
State of affairs report
Beneath a thick layer of dark wax lay some major problems. Wood-boring insects had severely damaged the sides. The tabletop was split down the middle. There were also numerous small missing veneer pieces, including a large "blob" right in the center of the tabletop, in a very rare moiré olive veneer.
The Restoration
We carried out this restoration with a focus on conservation. We made all the grafts using veneer that was sawn, scraped, sanded, and cut to the correct thickness for the backing before gluing. Each graft follows the contour of the missing piece, in order to preserve as much of the existing wood as possible. We glued them with hot glue, respecting the principles of reversibility and re-treatable.
After a good cleaning, the light and warm colors gave this chest of drawers a much brighter and less austere appearance.
We oxidized the veneer grafts before the filled and waxed finish.
We steam cleaned the bronzes, which were brought back later.
To see previous restorations : https://ebenisterie-mathieuvath.fr/en-ce-moment-a-latelier/
