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PIERRE Garnier (1726–1800), attributed to
See original version (French)
507
-
PIERRE Garnier (1726–1800), attributed to
See original version (French)
Estimate €30,000 - €50,000
Voluntary lot
Description
PIERRE Garnier (1726–1800), attributed to
FLAT DESK in rosewood and amaranth, opening to reveal two sections, each with four drawers and a central drawer; the rear has two doors opening onto two compartments, the drawer fronts and side panels feature projecting shelves; the top rests on projecting corner pilasters supported by a plinth; the drawers and side panels are veneered in ‘butterfly wing’ within a double frame of black and white mouldings; (minor restoration work, particularly to the veneer).
Louis XVI period, circa 1760–1770.
H: 78 cm, W: 145.5 cm, D: 80.5 cm
Bibliographical references:
C. de Quénetain, *Pierre Garnier*, Paris, 2003.
Provenance:
Château de Montchevreuil (Hauts-de-France), which in the 20th century brought together, in particular, the former Balleroy, Mornay and Soult collections.
From the emergence of the new ‘Greek’ style in the second half of the 1750s, and in tandem with the cabinetmaker Joseph Baumhauer, Pierre Garnier produced three writing desks similar to the one presented here, two of which are topped by a tiered section with a drop-down panel.
The first to be made was undoubtedly the one from the former Ann Getty collection in Los Angeles (auction: New York, Christie’s, 22 October 2022, lot 443), which bears an inscription dating it to the year 1767. A second desk with a drop-leaf top formerly belonged to the Edmond Safra collection (auction in New York, Sotheby’s, 19 October 2011, lot 730); it is virtually identical to the previous one but made of rosewood and amaranth, unlike the one from the Getty collection, which is made entirely of amaranth.
The third desk listed is the one most similar in structure to our example; it formerly belonged to the Steinitz Gallery (gallery catalogue, Paris, 2004, pp. 92–194); of the same dimensions as the other two (approximately 195 cm wide), it is not surmounted by a step and, like the other two desks, features nine drawers arranged in three rows on the front.
This layout is the main characteristic of this piece of furniture, which represented a new style for its time. Stylistically, the Neoclassical character of these desks is particularly evident in the use of pilasters with three flutes, surmounted by a disc within a square. These two elements, relating on the one hand to the architecture (the shape of the piece) and on the other to the decoration, are also found on the desk in this sale. Its appearance on the market helps to expand the legacy of the original model.
Indeed, the simplified version of the three desks under consideration makes it a smaller variant (145 cm instead of 195 cm), with the woods used bringing it closer to that of the Safra collection and the absence of a stepped section to that of the Steinitz Gallery. Among the differences, it is also worth noting the treatment of the decoration—three simulated flutes in place of flutes fitted with brass—as well as the different arrangement of the square, which is adorned not with a disc but with a rosette surmounting a triglyph.
See original version (French)
Auto-translation. Refer to original language for legal validity.
Pictures credits: Contact the Auction House
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