Léonard Boudin, Ogee-shaped writing desk,

c. 1760. Rosewood marquetry.

 

 

Furniture lacquered in varnish or paint

 

A distinction must be established here between European furniture, that which was manufactured in Europe with Oriental elements versus that of Oriental origin. At the time when China and Japan began to send their precious lacquers to France, a movement took place amongst connoisseurs. Some began forming special collections, while others contented themselves with choosing the finest pieces to exhibit in their sumptuous saloons along with the porcelain so much in style at the time. Others went even farther and wanted their own furniture inlaid with varnished plaques or with subjects or landscapes in gold relief. The number of Oriental cabinets which cabinet-makers must have destroyed in order to satisfy this fashion is incalculable. From the period of Louis XIV we find pieces associated with Boulle marquetry. Under Louis XV the vogue continues, attaining its height during the reign of Louis XVI.

The artists were too intelligent not to yield to the movement and take advantage of it. At first they contented themselves with breaking up the shelves, boxes and folding screens to use them for other purposes. However, realising the insufficient supply of these objects already manufactured, they came up with the idea to send their prepared woods to the Oriental workshops, where the pieces were lacquered and would only need to be mounted upon their return. However, on return there were more parts and this constraint, the delay it caused in the execution of the work, and the immense inflation of the return price, all concurred to induce cabinet-makers to seek some means of replacing the Oriental lacquer with something of similar composition. Ingenious men set to work, and even if their goal was not met, they at least succeeded in making their names famous and endowing Europe with a new product. The first of these inventors was Huygens, a Dutchman who must have followed his model rather closely, for his name comes with a certain notoriety even though his works remain unknown, likely lost among the mass of second-rate lacquer work which is rejected today. The second and most celebrated was Martin, or rather the Martins, for it was a family. Before 1748, the fame of the Martins was established and their workshop had been honoured by the title of Royal Manufactory. It is quite certain, for the terms of the decree of 1744 confirm it, that the Martins began by imitating the Japanese black lacquer ornamented with gold works in relief. But being in possession of a certain process and at the top of their competition, they extended their work plan. The idea was to invent a varnish which would be French in its style and superior in richness to that of the Orientals. There is no doubt that this is what they used at Versailles in the apartments of the Dauphin and of the daughter of Louis XV.

Varnish of this description has a limpid transparency which allows for it to be applied in figure painting; unfortunately, and this is its only fault, it is liable to crack in the open air; two magnificent angle cupboards (encoignures) belonging to Baron Gustave de Rothschild exhibit this defect. In the midst of their gold groundwork, mythological subjects are seen delicately painted after François Boucher’s manner and framed in rocailles of the purest Louis XV style. Smaller objects executed in the same varnish exhibit analogous subjects; such compositions are painted after Le Brun, David Teniers, and other Flemish artists.