Commode Boulle

A commode or chest of drawers with two long drawers with two narrower drawers above separated by a blank panel.

Commode boulle. Google arts culture features content from over 2000 leading museums and archives who have partnered with the google cultural institute to bring the world s treasures online. The gilt bronze mounts and several ornamental elements the mention of en tambour par les deux bouts means that the ends of the cabinet are rounded synonymous with the design category commodes ovalles a term also used in the 18th century descriptions. The first is that foreign artists flocking to the sun king s court were keen to be naturalised french subjects to fit in and would like jean baptiste lully the. The picture shows the commode made for louis xiv s bedchamber in the grand trianon.

A very fine example of the celebrated boulle bureau plat is the one made for louis henri de bourbon 1692 1740 prince de condé for the château de chantilly 4 the design of the commode reflects the view of the late louis quatorze period that court art should be characterized by opulence and swagger. Furniture by andré charles boulle included gilded bronze figures between the marquetry drawers with curvilinear legs sheathed in high relief foliage or scrollwork. The details are extremely fine and the decorative repertoire is of exceptional richness. Furthermore the shape of this commode en tambour is unique and echoes aspects characteristic of the boulle repertoire.

The decor is based around vines so there are grape vines bunches of grapes and the hymn of bacchus on the top of the commode. Boulle marquetry is present on the entire commode.