Writing Table
1820-1840 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This table, though made between 1820 and 1840, exploits the cabinet-making skills of the late 18th century. Built into it are two marquetry panels made in the workshops of the celebrated German cabinet-maker David Roentgen in 1768. They originally formed part of a desk made for the French king, Louis XVI.
After the execution of Louis XVI in 1793, his desk must have been taken apart. One panel was re-used in a desk, which is now in the Château de Versailles. When that desk was conserved in the 1990s, a small piece of card was found inside it, the card of a midwife, Madame Befort, who was married to a cabinet-maker. From that we deduce that Jean-Baptiste Befort may have been the maker of the Versailles desk. If he was also responsible for dismembering Louis XVI's desk, it is possible that he made this writing-table, realising the high quality of the marquetry.
After the execution of Louis XVI in 1793, his desk must have been taken apart. One panel was re-used in a desk, which is now in the Château de Versailles. When that desk was conserved in the 1990s, a small piece of card was found inside it, the card of a midwife, Madame Befort, who was married to a cabinet-maker. From that we deduce that Jean-Baptiste Befort may have been the maker of the Versailles desk. If he was also responsible for dismembering Louis XVI's desk, it is possible that he made this writing-table, realising the high quality of the marquetry.
Object details
| Category | |
| Object type | |
| Parts | This object consists of 4 parts. (Some alternative part names are also shown below)
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| Materials and techniques | Veneered on a carcase of oak with harewood, boxwood, burr walnut, tulipwood and padouk, with panels of figurative marquetry, the drawer fronts set with plaques of Minton porcelain, the table with mounts of gilt bronze |
| Brief description | Writing table, attributed to Jean-Baptiste Befort, probably made in Paris, 1820-1840, incorporating panels of marquetry by David Roentgen, ca. 1782-6. |
| Physical description | Writing table (bureau plat), veneered on a carcase of oak with harewood, boxwood, burr walnut, tulipwood and padouk, with panels of figurative marquetry, the drawer fronts set with plaques of Minton porcelain, the table with mounts of gilt bronze. |
| Dimensions |
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| Marks and inscriptions |
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| Credit line | Bequeathed by John Jones |
| Object history | In the collection of John Jones before 1882. Another table, of similar size and form, but differently detailed, also with the top set with panels of Roentgen marquetry (possibly from the same desk, made for Louis XVI) was sold by Christie's, London, from the collection formed by Lord Hillingdon, 29 June 1972, lot 58. |
| Summary | This table, though made between 1820 and 1840, exploits the cabinet-making skills of the late 18th century. Built into it are two marquetry panels made in the workshops of the celebrated German cabinet-maker David Roentgen in 1768. They originally formed part of a desk made for the French king, Louis XVI. After the execution of Louis XVI in 1793, his desk must have been taken apart. One panel was re-used in a desk, which is now in the Château de Versailles. When that desk was conserved in the 1990s, a small piece of card was found inside it, the card of a midwife, Madame Befort, who was married to a cabinet-maker. From that we deduce that Jean-Baptiste Befort may have been the maker of the Versailles desk. If he was also responsible for dismembering Louis XVI's desk, it is possible that he made this writing-table, realising the high quality of the marquetry. |
| Bibliographic reference | Josef Maria Greber, Abraham und David Roentgen, Möbel für Europa. Starnberg, Josef Keller Verlag, 1980, Band 2, figs. 625-628, p. 315. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | 1076-1882 |
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| Record created | February 7, 2006 |
| Record URL |
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