{"id":12092,"date":"2026-10-15T21:07:29","date_gmt":"2026-10-15T19:07:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ebenisterie-mathieuvath.fr\/?p=12092"},"modified":"2026-10-15T21:07:31","modified_gmt":"2026-10-15T19:07:31","slug":"bonheur-du-jour-empire-lesage","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ebenisterie-mathieuvath.fr\/en\/2026\/10\/15\/bonheur-du-jour-empire-lesage\/","title":{"rendered":"Bonheur du jour Empire stamped by Antoine-Nicolas Lesage"},"content":{"rendered":"

Restoration of a happiness of the day Empire<\/strong> In mahogany veneer, stamped Antoine-Nicolas Lesage. This lady's piece of furniture, adorned with gilt bronze mounts, dates from the early 19th century. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This bonheur du jour combines a writing table and a tiered writing surface. A mahogany veneer covers all its surfaces. The tiered surface conceals small drawers, where ladies would store their letters and writing accessories. A sliding leather-covered tray serves as the writing surface. A drawer in the apron provides additional storage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chiseled and gilded bronze mounts adorn the legs and uprights of the tiered stand. The legs terminate in claw feet. Small casters allow the piece to be moved from room to room. This understated design highlights the beauty of the mahogany and perfectly reflects the Empire style.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"Bonheur<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Antoine-Nicolas Lesage (1784-1841)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Antoine-Nicolas Lesage was born in Paris on November 14, 1784, and died there on May 23, 1841. Around 1812, he opened his first shop at 2 Boulevard des Italiens. In 1821, he founded the Union des Arts at 2 Rue de la Grange-Bateli\u00e8re.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This firm sells furniture, bronzes, clocks, porcelain, and upholstery fabrics. Its clientele includes the French and international elite. Lesage even exhibited his pieces in London, on Regent Street, in 1825 and 1826.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 1837, he moved to 11 rue de la Chauss\u00e9e-d'Antin, to the H\u00f4tel Pernon. The following year, he partnered with his employee Victor-Hyacinthe Grandvoinnet and founded the firm Lesage et Grandvoinnet. Honor\u00e9 de Balzac mentions his business in The Wild Ass's Skin<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lesage was primarily a merchant. Yet, Denise Ledoux-Lebard mentions him in her work on 19th-century Parisian cabinetmakers. Like many merchants of the time, he may have outsourced part of his production to workshops outside his own. His stamp, in any case, attests to the piece's provenance: this bonheur du jour bears the mark ANTOINE-NICOLAS LESAGE. On other examples, it is accompanied by the address "Rue Grange-Bateli\u00e8re, n\u00ba 2, \u00e0 Paris," that of the Union des Arts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The happiness of the day, a lady's piece of furniture<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The bonheur du jour appeared around 1760, during the reign of Louis XV. Initially called a "stepped table," it replaced the slant-front desk and became the quintessential piece of feminine furniture. Ladies placed it in their boudoirs for writing. Depending on the room, it also served as a writing desk, a chest of drawers, or a dressing table.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Its name comes from its tiered seating filled with drawers and small hiding places. The ladies slipped their mail and personal correspondence into them. It was their "daily pleasure." You can also discover a happy day Transition stamped by Guillaume Cordi\u00e9<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After 1789, the tiered chair lost its popularity. Cabinetmakers created few new models and mostly reused successful forms. Under the Empire, the tiered chair remained, but the decoration changed. Mahogany then dominated Parisian cabinetmaking, with large veneered surfaces. Tapered or claw feet, ringed with gilt bronze, and leather-covered sliding trays were common. The gilt bronze mounts, inspired by antiquity, emphasized the simple lines of the piece. Small casters also facilitated its movement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bibliography<\/h2>\n\n\n\n