IN THE MUSEUMS

Marquetry drop-leaf secretary. Louis XV era

Ink inscriptions “Poirier, Md rue St Honoré” and “Poirier 3 piesses argenté”
Stamped de B.V.R.B (Bernard Van Risenburgh) – 1763.

Provenance: Purchased by the Earl of Coventry from the Marchand-Mercier Simon-Ph. Poirier on 9 September 1763, for the Croome Court estate. Chester Beatty collection. Maharani of Baroda
Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco.

This secretaire, which bears the stamp of Bernard II Van Risen Burgh, is characteristic of the Louis XV style.

It was made with end-grain rosewood and amaranth marquetry and features flower-shaped, leaf-shaped and tree-shaped patterns.

This incredible piece is a testament to the cabinetmaker’s talent and to its prestigious commissioner. BVRB delivered this secretaire to the 6th Earl of Coventry in 1763, via the marchand-mercier Simon-Ph Poirier, for his Croome Court estate in England. The delicate marquetry work showcases the cabinetmaker’s skill in crafting chiselled, gilded bronze elements. The latter run across the secretaire in a way that is typical of the rocaille style. The piece features a doucine with a griotte marble top.

B.V.R.B was one of the greatest cabinetmakers under the reign of Louis XV. His pieces were outstandingly beautiful, what with their balanced shapes and the admirable quality of the materials used. These qualities caught the attention of the royal family, as well as the French.