A pair of Louis XVI gilt-bronze mounted Japanese lacquer and ebony commodes à vantaux, attributed to Etienne Levasseur, late 18th century, the lacquer 17th century

the later inverted breakfront black marble tops above an acanthus cast frieze over a pair of cupboard doors with takamakie Japanese lacquer panels depicting mountainous landscapes within a leaf cast border and divided by scrolled mounts filled with husks, each enclosing a single adjustable shelf, the pilasters framing the doors with chandelles-filled stop-fluting, the sides decorated with geese and exotic landscapes, above a plinth with a berried laurel edge on circular tapering and fluted gilt-bronze feet headed by leaf collars, one commode stamped DC to the underside

Comte Henri de Beaumont (1923-2005);
sold Christie’s London, Important European Furniture, Sculpture and Carpets, 1 December 2005, lot 136 (£456,000)

This very elegant pair of commodes a vantaux are in good conserved condition and are ready to place. The later black marble tops with a hairline crack - barely noticeable and probably originated during manufacture. The gilt bronzes have their original gilding and have been cleaned. The Japanese lacquer has areas of re-touching and has been re-varnished, one commode's right hand panel with vertical movement . All four doors have minor shrinking cracks which have been sympathetically treated and are barely noticeable. The doors each enclosing separate cupboard cavities. The ebony has a varnished surface which conforms to the sheen of the lacquer. Each commode with horizontal movement to the Japanese lacquer panel of one return and vertical movement to the panel on the opposing return. Locks possibly replaced or re-fitted. Very decorative and attractive.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Comparative Literature
Thibaut Wolvesperges, Le Meuble Français en Laque au XVIIIe Siècle, Brussels, 2000, pp. 365 and 367;
Alexandre Pradère, Les Ébénistes Français de Louis XIV à la Révolution, Paris, 1989, pp. 309-317

Etienne Levasseur received maître in 1767.

This superb and unusual pair of gilt-bronze mounted ebony commodes once formed part of a rare suite of three, consisting of this pair and a larger commode. Incorporating precious takamakie Japanese lacquer panels, items such as these were among the most luxurious pieces of furniture available in the late eighteenth century.

The taste for Japanese lacquer 

Imported into Europe in the late sixteenth century by the Portuguese, the taste for lacquer burgeoned following the Embassy of the King of Siam’s mission to the court of Louis XIV at Versailles in 1686. Japanese lacquer was particularly rare in France as the Dutch had replaced the Portuguese as the main importers owing to their privileged trading position with Japan. Japanese lacquer was considered superior to its Chinese counterpart; treasured for its innate beauty, unrivalled craftsmanship and rarity. Furniture incorporating Japanese lacquer was exceptionally rare and collectors spent vast sums obtaining them. The panels were obtained from breaking up exported screens and trunks that were then transformed into luxury pieces by the leading ébénistes and bronziers of the day before being sold on by the marchand-merciers to an elite clientele desperate to acquire the latest fashions. Indeed, it is said that Madame de Pompadour spent over 110,000 livres on her collection of Japanese lacquer objects alone. Another avid collector of Japanese lacquer at court was Queen Maria Leszczyinska, who is recorded purchasing a commode incorporating Japanese lacquer panels by BVRB in 1737 from the dealer Thomas-Joachim Hébert for her cabinet de retraite at Fontainbleau and now in the collection of the Louvre, Paris (inv. OA 11193). The craze for Japanese lacquer continued well into the reign of Louis XVI and some of the most important ébénistes including Levasseur, Carlin, Riesener and Weisweiler all executed pieces using this extraordinary material.

The design and attribution

The relative shallowness of the present commodes suggests that they were designed with a specific place in mind. In fact, most 18^th century collectors appear to have concentrated their lacquer furniture in purpose built rooms, sumptuously decorated in the oriental taste (Wolvesperges, op. cit., pp. 365 and 367). Whilst the commodes cannot be pin pointed to a particular commission or maker, a stylistic analysis of the commodes supports an attribution to Etienne Levasseur (1721-1798).

The influence of André-Charles Boulle (1642-1732) in their design is evident and Levasseur was a key proponent of the Boulle revival in late 18^th century Paris. Renowned for adapting and restoring Boulle pieces under the aegis of the dealer Julliot, Levasseur was often commissioned to create furniture in the style of Boulle. This is well illustrated by a pair of commodes stamped Levasseur circa 1770, which incorporate the panels of an interior of a Japanese cabinet and is indebted to Boulle’s architectural style.  They appeared in the 1777 sale of financier Randon de Boisset collection and were latterly part of the collection of Alexander, 10^th Duke of Hamilton and sold Sotheby’s New York, The Jaime Ortiz-Patiño Collection, 20 May 1992, lot 85 ($1,705,000) (fig. 1). Interestingly, the present commodes are also raised on feet cast entirely of gilt-bronze, a Louis XIV practice introduced by Boulle that only a few prominent furniture makers of the late 18th century adopted, such as Garnier, Dubois, Montigny and of course, Levasseur.

The restrained rectilinear form and strong architectural features of the design are also hallmarks of Levasseur’s oeuvre, allowing the Japanese lacquer panels to have the most dramatic impact. In this respect, the design of the present pair relates closely to a commode stamped Levasseur formerly in the collection of the Earl of Rosebery at Mentmore and sold Sotheby’s Monaco, 3 July 1993, lot 160 (FF 6,660,000) (fig. 2). While the fluted pilasters and the gilt-bronze chandelles on the present commodes features on a number of other stamped pieces by Levasseur (Pradère, op. cit., fig. 359) they also bear similarities with pieces by Carlin, Riesener, Leleu and Beneman among others. One of the most distinctive features on the present commodes are the gilt-bronze heart shaped enrichments which boldly divide cupboard doors. Intriguingly, these mounts are very close in design to those found on a guéridon attributed to Pierre Garnier and formerly in the collection of Karl Lagerfeld (sold Christie's Monaco, 28-29 April 2000, lot 57).

Henri de Beaumont (1923-2005)

These magnificent commodes, together with their companion (sold Christie’s London, Important European Furniture, Sculpture and Carpets, 1 December 2005, lot 137 once formed part of the collection of Comte Henri de Beaumont's residence in Rome. Born and raised in France, Beaumont spent many years in the United States as a diplomat, and later divided his time between his many residences that included a chateau in Fontaine l'Abbé, a Sardinian beach house, a villa in Marlia and his palazzo in Rome where he lived with his Italian wife Graziella Pecci Blunt. Beaumont inherited most of his collection from his family, particularly his uncle Comte Étienne de Beaumont (1883- 1956), cultivating an exceptional collection of paintings, French furniture and objets d’art. He lived with his uncle during his formative years at the magnificent Hotel Masseran, enjoying a sophisticated and cultured milieu surrounded by such luminaries of the artistic world as Picasso, Braque, Cocteau and Buñuel.