Minor restoration work has been carried out on this Transition-style bonheur-du-jour, veneered in rosewood. It also bears the stamp of Guillaume Cordié, the master of this type of desk.
The work remained simple. First, we reattached a few veneer bells. Then, we addressed the oxidation and performed color restoration. Finally, we reapplied the varnish using a French polish.
Guillaume Cordié
Born around 17331, Guillaume Cordié initially worked as a freelance craftsman. He then obtained his master's certificate on June 18, 1766. He subsequently established himself on the rue de Charonne, where he remained until his death. His works, of fine quality and harmonious proportions, are primarily in the Transition and Louis XVI styles. He also appears to have worked extensively for haberdashers and fellow craftsmen such as Migeon and Boudin.
He is notably responsible for a stepped desk in the Mobilier National collection, which reveals a true talent for interior design. Similarly, his small "kidney-shaped" table, from the former Clermont-Tonnerre collection, is quite unusual. Even more original was a reading table from the former Blanchette collection, resting on two carved legs, positioned opposite each other beneath an oval top. Surrounded by a gallery, it featured two cavities closed by a shutter. Finally, his colleagues undoubtedly held him in high esteem. Indeed, a beautiful lady's writing desk from the Clermont-Tonnerre collection bore both his stamp and that of Léonard Boudin.
Having fallen ill, he died on November 26, 1786, at the age of 53. His widow, Marie-Madeleine Courtois, then ran the workshop until the Revolution. Afterwards, she retired from business. She died on the Quai des Célestins on June 17, 1800, in her seventieth year.
The master of happy days
Cordié can therefore be considered the "master" of bonheur-du-jour tables, or "stepped tables" according to his inventory. For about fifteen years, until around 1780, he seems to have followed a formula of his own. Thus, his bonheur-du-jour tables all resemble each other. They measure approximately 1 meter high, 65 centimeters long, and 45 centimeters deep. Furthermore, they are veneered with rosewood, separated by a boxwood border from a frame of violet, rose, or amaranth.
Each unit has two sections. At the top, two sliding doors close off a tiered shelf. Behind it opens a central niche, flanked by two or three small drawers, one of which contains a writing surface. This tiered shelf rests on a table with a scalloped apron, supported by four cabriole legs. The tabletop forms a lockable drop-leaf: when unfolded, it reveals a leather-covered writing surface on the reverse. Below, three compartments close with sliding lids. Finally, two small drawers open from the apron.
- He is described as being about thirty years old in his marriage certificate of 1763. ↩︎
Bibliography
- French Furniture of the 18th Century – Pierre Kjellberg – Les Editions de l'Amateur – 1989
- The workshops Parisian cabinetmakers and joiners in the 17th and 18th centuries – Guillaume Janneau – Serg Editions – 1975
- The Art Object, No. 470 – July-August 2011 – pp. 66-77
The Happiness of the Day
Created around 1760, the bonheur-du-jour replaced the slant-front desk. It then became the quintessential piece of women's furniture. In their boudoirs, ladies initially reserved it for their favorite activity: writing. Later, its use varied depending on the room: a desk or secretary in the living room, a chest of drawers or dressing table in the bedroom, or a display piece. However, it always remained a piece of women's furniture. Its name is thought to derive from the letters and small objects that were hidden within it. Indeed, its tiered shelves, filled with drawers, sometimes contained hidden compartments. Ladies thus kept their intimate correspondence there: it was their «"Happiness of the day"».
