Furniture
18th century
David Roentgen
1
Furniture du 18th century
A Louis XVI secrétaire
DIMENSIONS : l. 25.98 .inH. 49.02 .inP. 15.16 .in
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?Attributed to David Roentgen
Rare secretaire in plain mahogany and mahogany veneer, with cut sides.
It opens with a drawer in its upper part, a fall flap revealing two lockers and four small drawers and a frieze drawer.
On four high legs ending in tapered fluted gilt bronze clogs, joined by a rectangular Carrara marble spacer set with a bronze molding. Beautiful ornamentation of chiseled and gilded bronzes; keyholes with vine leaf motifs, pull rings, four rosettes on the cut sides, applique in the shape of a leafy urn adorning the bottom of the secretary, bronze frames highlighting the structure of the cabinet and the flap, round plaque in bas-relief representing a pastoral scene, using the design of a bas-relief signed Gulien (which went on public sale in London at Sotheby's in December 1996).
Famous for his exceptional talent and strong personality, unlike his compatriots living in Paris, he never owned a studio in the capital. However, he obtained his master's degree there in 1780, opened a warehouse and worked for many French clients, including the King and Queen. David Roentgen will travel to Germany, Austria, Russia, France and Holland, he goes for the first time to Paris, in 1774 and returns there in 1779, the orders flow both from the Court and from the private clientele, after obtaining of his master's degree, he can open his own store in the Saint Honoré district.
While his success continues to grow in France, David Roentgen runs a real business in Neuwied. Its workshops have more than a hundred specialized workers. It supplied several European sovereigns, the King of Prussia, the Emperor of Austria, Empress Catherine II of Russia, and great lords such as Archbishop Charles of Lorraine.
The French Revolution dealt a fatal blow to this brilliant success by depriving the cabinetmaker of part of his clientele.