BY PIERRE GARNIER, CIRCA 1755-65

During the course of a long and illustrious career, Pierre Garnier (maître in 1742), embraced the range of evolving 18th century French styles from Rococo to Neoclassicism. As one of the foremost ébénistes of the 1760s and 1770s, together with Jean-François Oeben and Joseph Baumhauer (dit Joseph), he is considered a pioneer of 18th century Neoclassicism. His superb craftsmanship is exemplified in a table based on designs by the architect Charles de Wailly, which was exhibited at the annual Salon at the Louvre, organized by the Académie Royale de Peinture et de Sculpture. His other distinguished commissions include pieces for the Duchesse de Mazarin whose hôtel was renowned for being a vanguard of fashion and a 'temple of taste', and for the Marquis de Marigny, brother of Madame de Pompadour. Today, exemplary pieces by Garnier are held in such prestigious public collections as the Louvre, Paris, the Wallace Collection, London, the Gulbenkian Museum, Lisbon, and the Huntington Library, San Marino. The present example is all the more rare as most of the furniture by Garnier, which remains to this day, is neoclassical in style rather than transitional (or rococo).

Related pieces include a pair of ormolu-mounted marquetry encoignures by Jacques-Philippe Carel sold Christie's, New York, 11 June 1992, lot 46; another pair also by Carel sold Christie's, Amsterdam, 1 July 2010, lot 395; while a further related pair stamped 'F G' for François Garnier, father of Pierre, sold Sotheby's, London, 3 March 2006, lot 337.