Pair of Dutch Louis XVI Lacquer Encoignures

Period

ca. 1790

Material

oak frame veneered with satinwood, sycamore, mahogany, boxwood and rosewood.

Sizes

(height) 87.00cm. (width) 50.00cm. (Length) 73.00cm.

Description

These corner-cupboards stand on tapered legs that are constricted at the top. The legs rest on ormolu bronze knobs. The diagonal jambs are decorated with narrow black lacquer panels and bronze ormolu rosettes.
The sides are decorated with framed diamondshaped black lacquer panels. These panels seem to hang from an inlaid ribbon with a bow and tassels.
The doors are decorated with Japanese black lacquer panels with plants and flowers. The panel is placed in a inlaid decoration of ribbons with bows and tassels. The background consists of reversed diamond veneer in a frame of various types of wood and black and red lacquer. The corners of the frame are decorated with bronze ormolu rosettes. The tops are of Blue Turquin marble.
Encoignures were manufactured in large amounts during the 18th century. They were used to, at least optically, shape the room they were placed in. furniture of this era was very often decorated with Oriental or European lacquer. During the Louis XV period, the lacquer was often applied on the entire piece of furniture. In the neoclassisist period (Louis XVI) the shapes become more sober and austere and the lacquer decoration is reduced to geometrically shaped panels.