Restoration of a low Louis XIV style bookcase, in Boulle marquetry of brown tortoiseshell and brass, ebony, and chiseled and gilded bronze ornamentation. The centrally projecting front opens with three glazed doors decorated with scroll and foliage motifs, resting on tapered legs. This type of three-part low cabinet was one of the great successes of Boulle, who himself proposed several variations. The Louvre Museum, in fact, owns no fewer than six examples. These pieces of furniture, particularly well-suited to displaying collections of objects or sculptures, were highly prized for adorning the lower part of wainscoting, complementing the paintings hung above. It is undoubtedly for this reason that they enjoyed great success with collectors and were copied as early as the 18th century by Jean-Louis Faizelot-Delorme, and then throughout the 19th century, notably by Dasson, renowned for the quality of his cabinetmaking and bronze work.
State of affairs report
This piece of furniture did not show any significant damage. There were a few missing pieces of brass and tortoiseshell. The marquetry as a whole showed slight dehydration of the glue. The most serious problems lay in the loosening of the side and top panels. Indeed, without understanding the cause and without addressing the underlying problem, these cracks risked reappearing.
The Restoration
The restoration work consisted of rehydrating and regenerating the adhesives on the veneered surfaces. The internal reinforcements and supports of the side panels and top were removed to eliminate tension within the panels and allow them to contract freely. The old varnish was then restored, some color correction was carried out, and a new coat of colorless shellac was applied with a pad. The bronzes were cleaned with steam. Finally, silk dupioni curtains were installed by upholsterer Cédric Nivelle.
