{"id":10702,"date":"2025-12-23T14:21:49","date_gmt":"2025-12-23T13:21:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ebenisterie-mathieuvath.fr\/?p=10702"},"modified":"2026-08-22T09:06:50","modified_gmt":"2026-08-22T07:06:50","slug":"commode-louis-xvi-estampillee-j-l-cosson","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ebenisterie-mathieuvath.fr\/en\/2025\/12\/23\/commode-louis-xvi-estampillee-j-l-cosson\/","title":{"rendered":"Louis XVI commode stamped JL Cosson"},"content":{"rendered":"

This Louis XVI period half-moon commode, stamped by the cabinetmaker Jacques Laurent Cosson, likely dates from a production between 1780 and 1790. It is an exceptional example of painted furniture from the end of the Ancien R\u00e9gime, belonging to a very small group of which only seven examples are currently known. This small and highly sought-after group of 18th-century French painted furniture is now recognized as one of the most inventive areas of Parisian cabinetmaking on the eve of the Revolution. This commode, with its curved, half-moon shape, rests on four tapered legs ending in gilt-bronze sabots and is veneered with rosewood and tobacco-stained sycamore.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Secretary in a cabinet (James A. de Rothschild collection, Waddesdon Manor).<\/em><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Pair of cabinets (formerly in the collection of the Earl of Rosebery, D. collection).Riahi Paris).<\/em><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Chest of drawers stamped Joseph Baumhauer. (Christie's, New York, April 10, 1980)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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The painted decoration constitutes the central element of this work. The facade and side panels are adorned with naturalistic floral garlands, treated with great chromatic finesse, directly evoking the pictorial repertoire of flower and trophy designs in vogue, such as those popularized by contemporary artists.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This technique, mentioned in contemporary sources and extensively discussed in reference works such as "\u00ab The Renaissance of French Art\u00bb<\/em>, This style differs from Far Eastern lacquer. It is European painting, often executed by specialized artists such as Leriche or Pr\u00e9vos, in comparable works, working closely with the cabinetmaker. The furniture thus becomes a true pictorial support, blurring the line between decorative arts and easel painting. Sources indicate that these pieces were often intended for refined interiors, such as cabinets or small apartments, belonging to a high-ranking clientele.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Archives and stylistic comparisons allow us to link this type of commode to prestigious ensembles, sometimes associated with major figures at court, such as Madame du Barry<\/strong>.For the latter, a chest of drawers stamped Cosson, decorated with flowers painted by Leriche<\/strong>, is expressly mentioned in the literature.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A PRESTIGIOUS PROVENANCE<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our commode boasts a prestigious provenance, having belonged to the renowned antique dealer Arnold Seligmann. It is notably featured in one of the sumptuous salons of his private mansion located on Place Vend\u00f4me, as evidenced by the publication "\u00ab The Renaissance of French Art and Luxury Industries <\/em>\u00bb of June 1926 (pages 356-359). This publication attributes the creation of the chest of drawers to Madame Du Barry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is highly probable that Alfred Loewenstein, a Belgian collector, acquired the chest of drawers directly from Arnold Seligmann. Between 1919 and 1920, he commissioned the Belgian architect Armand Sigwalt to design the H\u00f4tel Loewenstein, his private residence located at 35, rue de la Science in Brussels, intended to house his extensive art collection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before his tragic death in 1928, this businessman ranked third among the world's wealthiest people, just behind Henry Ford and John Rockefeller. The chest of drawers has remained in his direct descendants' possession to this day.<\/p>\n\n\n

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The Renaissance of French Art and Luxury Industries,<\/em>1923-05-01, p. 359 (Source Gallica)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Through the quality of its craftsmanship, the richness of its painted decoration, and the presence of the Cosson stamp, this commode stands out as a major example of Parisian painted furniture from the late Ancien R\u00e9gime. It illustrates a pivotal moment when French cabinetmaking explored new aesthetic avenues, already foreshadowing the decorative explorations of Neoclassicism while retaining the elegance and sensuality inherited from the 18th century.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bibliography<\/h3>\n\n\n\n