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Lot Essay
Monumental in scale and exquisitely executed in its design and artistry, this impressive cabinet is considered one of the most important pieces of furniture of the Second Empire - immediately recognizable as the award winning cabinet from the Paris Exposition Universelle in 1867. It's creator, Louis-Auguste-Alfred Beurdeley, pays a triumphant homage to the ancien régime with subtle nods to his 18th century predecessors such as Bernard Molitor (1755-1833) and Adam Weisweiler (1744-1820).
Louis-Auguste-Alfred Beurdeley specialized in interpretating 18th century notably Louis XVI furniture. He quickly became the most celebrated ébéniste during the Second Empire (1852-70), supplying furniture to the Garde Meuble Imperial. The rise in popularity of the Louis XVI style was supported by Napoleon III who encouraged the manufacture of luxury goods which had been promoted under the last king but was permitted to lapse with the fall of the Bourbons in 1830.
In contrast to many of Beurdeley’s works, this meuble a deux corps is not a pastiche or interpretation of an existing piece of furniture, but an original creation. Its architectural construction evokes the Renaissance, incorporating the use of hardstone and marble plaques. The four upper panels are interpreted in the Pompeian taste, also favoured during the reign of Louis XVI for murals similar to those found in the Salon de Jeux and Marie Antoinette’s boudoir at Fontainebleau. The lower section’s division into three compartments was undoubtedly inspired by the oeuvre of Jean-Henri Riesner, the German ébéniste working in Paris, whose oeuvre exemplified the early neoclassical ‘Louis XVI style’ - the floral swags and ribboned flourishes recall Riesner’s commode commissioned for Madame Élisabeth of France, sister of Louis XVI, now at Waddesdon Manor. The technique of mercury gilding paired with the consistent quality of chasing echoes the techniques of the late 18th century maîtres. The overall composition and proportion of the structure further references grand jewellery cabinets from the turn of the 18th and 19th centuries. Notable examples include pieces by Schwerdfeger for Marie-Antoinette, displayed at Versailles, and Jacob-Desmalter for Joséphine, now in the Louvre. This perhaps was a conscious reference by Beurdeley as Marie-Antoinette's jewellery cabinet was displayed at the 1867 Great exhibition for which this grand cabinet was created; indeed, it is plausible the cabinetmaker designed the work specifically for admirers of Marie-Antoinette.
Installed for the first time at the Champ-de-Mars, the Great Exhibition of 1867 was the largest yet with over 11,000 visitors and 5,200 exhibitors. According to Camille Mestdagh, ‘the works of the exposition were unique both by the prestige of the collaborations and by the artistic qualities of their craftsmen. The cost of their realisation was such that they were difficult to sell because of their prices: according to a report on the Exhibition, Louis-Auguste-Alfred Beurdeley ‘thus expected 100.000 francs au bas mot for his large ebony bookcase adorned with bronze and pietre dure … the favourite of the crowned heads; for who other than kings and princes of finance could have the means to satisfy the delicate penchants of their refined taste when they turn to a man such as Mr. Beurdeley for a purchase, who pours an extravagant amount of money into the conscientious execution of his works’ (C. Mestdagh, op.cit., 67 & 88). Louis-Auguste-Alfred ultimately went on to win the gold medal for the immense cabinet – the furniture work championed as the pinnacle in Louis XVI designs; his execution lauded for its sophistication and mastery of several expert techniques (C. Mestdagh, op.cit., 67 & 88).
Having moved the family production to the prestigious Pavillon de Hanovre in 1840, Louis-Auguste, much like his father before him, maintained a dynamic and varied workshop; streamlining production and facilitating the creation of exceptional works of art that intricately incorporated inlaid marble, alongside delicate wood carving and exquisite bronze work. Beurdeley’s dominance within the furniture trade led to increased Imperial business and he was tasked with the highly important commission of making the wedding chest for Empress Eugénie's marriage in 1853. Furthermore, increased global recognition came about through Louis-Auguste-Alfred’s marriage to the American Constance-Virginie Fleytas (1804-1861). Their son, Alfred-Emmanuel-Louis (1847-1919), expanded the family business; opening additional workshops on the rue Dautancourt and an inaugural gallery in New York. The dominance of the three generations of Beurdeley makers helped bring about a new standard of excellence in French furniture making and their participation in the European and American Great Exhibitions led to an international appetite for their creations– the direct result of the submission into the Chicago Fair won the Beurdeley workshop the contract for the interiors of Cornelius Vanderbilt’s New York residence (see The Opulent Eye; Christie’s, New York, 9 June 2019, lot 18).
Louis-Auguste-Alfred Beurdeley specialized in interpretating 18th century notably Louis XVI furniture. He quickly became the most celebrated ébéniste during the Second Empire (1852-70), supplying furniture to the Garde Meuble Imperial. The rise in popularity of the Louis XVI style was supported by Napoleon III who encouraged the manufacture of luxury goods which had been promoted under the last king but was permitted to lapse with the fall of the Bourbons in 1830.
In contrast to many of Beurdeley’s works, this meuble a deux corps is not a pastiche or interpretation of an existing piece of furniture, but an original creation. Its architectural construction evokes the Renaissance, incorporating the use of hardstone and marble plaques. The four upper panels are interpreted in the Pompeian taste, also favoured during the reign of Louis XVI for murals similar to those found in the Salon de Jeux and Marie Antoinette’s boudoir at Fontainebleau. The lower section’s division into three compartments was undoubtedly inspired by the oeuvre of Jean-Henri Riesner, the German ébéniste working in Paris, whose oeuvre exemplified the early neoclassical ‘Louis XVI style’ - the floral swags and ribboned flourishes recall Riesner’s commode commissioned for Madame Élisabeth of France, sister of Louis XVI, now at Waddesdon Manor. The technique of mercury gilding paired with the consistent quality of chasing echoes the techniques of the late 18th century maîtres. The overall composition and proportion of the structure further references grand jewellery cabinets from the turn of the 18th and 19th centuries. Notable examples include pieces by Schwerdfeger for Marie-Antoinette, displayed at Versailles, and Jacob-Desmalter for Joséphine, now in the Louvre. This perhaps was a conscious reference by Beurdeley as Marie-Antoinette's jewellery cabinet was displayed at the 1867 Great exhibition for which this grand cabinet was created; indeed, it is plausible the cabinetmaker designed the work specifically for admirers of Marie-Antoinette.
Installed for the first time at the Champ-de-Mars, the Great Exhibition of 1867 was the largest yet with over 11,000 visitors and 5,200 exhibitors. According to Camille Mestdagh, ‘the works of the exposition were unique both by the prestige of the collaborations and by the artistic qualities of their craftsmen. The cost of their realisation was such that they were difficult to sell because of their prices: according to a report on the Exhibition, Louis-Auguste-Alfred Beurdeley ‘thus expected 100.000 francs au bas mot for his large ebony bookcase adorned with bronze and pietre dure … the favourite of the crowned heads; for who other than kings and princes of finance could have the means to satisfy the delicate penchants of their refined taste when they turn to a man such as Mr. Beurdeley for a purchase, who pours an extravagant amount of money into the conscientious execution of his works’ (C. Mestdagh, op.cit., 67 & 88). Louis-Auguste-Alfred ultimately went on to win the gold medal for the immense cabinet – the furniture work championed as the pinnacle in Louis XVI designs; his execution lauded for its sophistication and mastery of several expert techniques (C. Mestdagh, op.cit., 67 & 88).
Having moved the family production to the prestigious Pavillon de Hanovre in 1840, Louis-Auguste, much like his father before him, maintained a dynamic and varied workshop; streamlining production and facilitating the creation of exceptional works of art that intricately incorporated inlaid marble, alongside delicate wood carving and exquisite bronze work. Beurdeley’s dominance within the furniture trade led to increased Imperial business and he was tasked with the highly important commission of making the wedding chest for Empress Eugénie's marriage in 1853. Furthermore, increased global recognition came about through Louis-Auguste-Alfred’s marriage to the American Constance-Virginie Fleytas (1804-1861). Their son, Alfred-Emmanuel-Louis (1847-1919), expanded the family business; opening additional workshops on the rue Dautancourt and an inaugural gallery in New York. The dominance of the three generations of Beurdeley makers helped bring about a new standard of excellence in French furniture making and their participation in the European and American Great Exhibitions led to an international appetite for their creations– the direct result of the submission into the Chicago Fair won the Beurdeley workshop the contract for the interiors of Cornelius Vanderbilt’s New York residence (see The Opulent Eye; Christie’s, New York, 9 June 2019, lot 18).