This cabinet is one of the most luxurious made by the firm of Jacob Frères of Paris. It is veneered in amboyna wood, which has rich markings and sets off well the large-scale gilt-bronze mounts. The mounts, which show different figures of Venus, may have been made by the gilt-bronze specialist Pierre-Philippe Thomire. A close friend and business associate of one of the Jacob brothers, Thomire was famous for making large-scale mounts of high quality such as this.
Little is known of the history of this cabinet, but it belonged in 1969 to the Ruspoli Talleyrand Collection in the Villa Imperiale in Florence. It may originally have come from the collection of Napoleon I's minister, the Duc de Talleyrand. The high quality of both design and materials would be appropriate for such a client, but it is also possible that the cabinet was simply purchased by his descendants at some time in the 19th century.
Physical description
Cabinet on a deep plinth, veneered in amboyna on oak, the three doors set between free-standing bronze caryatid figures, the doors set with three gilt-bronze mounts showing Venus, the plinth and frieze richly embellished with gilt-bronze mounts. The slab is of Spanish brocatelle marble
Place of Origin
Paris, France (made)
Date
ca. 1800 (made)
Artist/maker
Thomire, Pierre-Philippe, born 1751 - died 1843 (possibly, mounts, maker)
Jacob Frères (designer and maker)
Materials and Techniques
Oak, veneered with amboyna, with a slab of brocatelle marble
Marks and inscriptions
JACOB FRERES
RUE MESLEE
Dimensions
Height: 120 cm, Width: 145 cm, Depth: 51 cm
[Cabinet] Height: 1225 mm, Width: 1450 mm, Depth: 575 mm
Object history note
This cabinet formed part of the Ruspoli-Talleyrand collection in the Villa Imperiale, Florence, before sale in May 1969. Some of the objects in this collection had originally belonged to Napoleon's minister, the duc de Talleyrand. Although this cabinet is certainly grand enough to have belonged to Talleyrand, it is also possible that it entered the collection much later in the 19th century.
Descriptive line
Veneered in amboyna on oak, the cabinet set with large-scale gilt-bronze and bronze mounts, including figures of Venus; the slab of Spanish brocatelle marble
Labels and date
CABINET
W.9-1971
'American and European Art and Design 1800-1900'
The cabinet is stamped 'JACOB FRERES RUE MESLEE': the firm used this stamp from 1796 to 1803. The bronze mounts and figures are attributed to Pierre-Philippe Thomire. This piece was sold with the Ruspoli-Talleyrand collection at the Villa Imperiale in Florence in 1969. It was probably made for Napoleon's Prime Minister, the Duc de Talleyrand (1754-1838). [1987-2006]
Europe and America 1800-1900, room 101
CABINET IN THE EMPIRE STYLE
About 1800
France, Paris; designed and made by the firm of Jacob Frères; mounts possibly designed by Pierre-Philippe Thomire
Amboyna veneer on a carcase of oak, with gilded bronze mounts and brocatelle marble
Stamped 'JACOB FRERES/RUE MESLEE'
Museum no. W.9-1971
This cabinet is one of the most luxurious ever made by Jacob Frères, the largest and best known furniture firm in Paris at the time. It exemplifies Empire style, with rich veneers and grandly sculptural gilded bronzes in classical style. The cabinet may have been made for Napoleon's minister, the Duc de Talleyrand, whose family owned it for many years. [2006]
Materials
Bronze; Oak; Gilt bronze; Amboyna; Brocatelle marble
Techniques
Gilded; Cast; Chased; Cabinet making; Veneered
Subjects depicted
Stars; Venus; Eagle; Palmettes; Cupids
Categories
Furniture
Collection code
FWK
