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A ROYAL LOUIS XVI ORMOLU-MOUNTED MAHOGANY, EBONY AND FRUITWOOD TABLE A ECRIRE BY JEAN-HENRI RIESENER, CIRCA 1785 The rectangular top lined with a brown leather writing surface within a three quarter pierced gallery, above a frieze drawer with pierced fluted frieze cast with leaves and flowers centred with a pierced scrolling foliage panel on each side, on squared tapering legs mounted with spiralling stringing and terminating with foliate cast sabots, joined by a shaped undertier; branded to the underside with the circular mark of the 'Garde-Meuble de la Reine', with a crowned 'C.T' 30 in. (76.2 cm.) high; 31.? in. (80.6 cm.) wide; 19 in. (48.3 cm.) deep
Jean-Henri Riesener, appointed ébéniste ordinaire du mobilier de la Couronne in 1774, ma?tre in 1768.
This Royal mahogany table à écrire of superb elegant proportion and enriched with jewel-like ormolu mounts, bears the brand ‘Garde-Meuble de la Reine’ and ‘C.T.’ indicating it was commissioned by Queen Marie-Antoinette of France (1755-1793) for her personal domain of the Petit Trianon.
THE GARDE-MEUBLE DE LA REINE
The circular marque au feu with interlaced monogram ‘MA’, set within the circular brand ‘GARDE MEUBLE DE LA REINE’, was used for the personal Garde-Meuble of the Queen Marie-Antoinette from 1784, managed under the direction of Pierre-Charles Bonnefoy du Plan (1732-1824). Intendant de la Reine and concierge of the Trianon domain, Bonnefoy du Plan not only controlled the furniture’s movement but served as the main intermediary between the Queen and designers and craftsmen.
This institution was in charge of the furnishing of the Queen’s private apartments, which already existed under the reign of Queen Marie Lesczynska, Louis XV’s wife, but was at that time used very parsimoniously, the Garde-Meuble de la Couronne being responsible for the main commissions. In 1784, taking advantage of the departure of Pierre Elisabeth de Fontanieu (1731-1784), director of the Garde-Meuble de la Couronne, Marie-Antoinette frantically developed the Garde-Meuble de la Reine allowing her a greater independence vis-a-vis the Crown’s institution and more control over her luxurious commissions. The creative process of her furniture was indeed submitted to her, ranging from the preparatory drawings to the models (sometime full-scale) of the pieces or to details of carving. An exigence, which was noted in the Souvenirs of her sister-in-law the Comtesse de Provence: ‘La Reine a une bonne qualité, quand elle veut une chose elle ne la quitte point’.
The independence of her personal Garde-Meuble also permitted her a greater freedom in the selection of the craftsmen involved in the commissions, and to keep her favourite cabinet-maker Jean-Henri Riesener (1734-1806) despite his disgrace in 1784. The newly appointed Intendant du Garde-Meuble de la Couronne Thierry de Ville-d’Avray (1732-1792) profoundly reformed the institution and replaced the official ébéniste de la Couronne Riesener by Guillaume Benneman, as the former was considered too expensive. Through her garde-meuble, Marie-Antoinette continued this collaboration during which Riesener’s most important pieces were produced. The present table is a fascinating testimony of this fruitful and longstanding relationship.
THE PETIT TRIANON
The Petit Trianon was built on the site of a botanical garden developed about a decade earlier by Louis XV, within the grounds of the Grand Trianon, Louis XIV's retreat, southeast of the chateau de Versailles. It was designed by Ange-Jacques Gabriel by the order of Louis XV for his long-term mistress, Madame de Pompadour, and was constructed between 1762 and 1768. Madame de Pompadour died four years before its completion, and the Petit Trianon was subsequently occupied by her successor, Madame du Barry. Upon Louis XVI’s accession to the throne in 1774, the 20-year-old King gave the chateau and its surrounding park to his 19-year-old Queen Marie Antoinette f