A Régence ormolu mounted tortoiseshell, brass, polychrome stained horn and mother of pearl 'Boulle' marquetry ebony commode a tombeau attributed to Noël Gérard (d.1736)

Circa 1720

Footnotes

An identical model of Régence contrepartie 'Boulle' marquetry commode by Noël Gérard, albeit one with a different top to that of the present lot, has formed part of the collection of furniture at the Musée National des Châteaux de Versailles et de Trianon since 16 September 1937. From that date, this model has been on long term loan to this collection from the Louvre Museum, where it is documented as being formerly housed from 24 February 1901 onwards, OA5097; V1085; VMB14285, see https://collections.louvre.fr/en/. It is also recorded that on 10 July 1859, this commode was acquired by the Imperial furniture department or 'Garde-Meuble', doubtless on behalf of Napoleon III, ruler of France at that time. The following day, this conforming version entered the Imperial/National collection (no. 19244) and, as already noted herein, was subsequently transferred to the Louvre in 1901.

Further to developments in furniture design instigated by one of the most famous ébénistes of all time, André-Charles Boulle, the sarcophagus form commode, widely referred to as commode en tombeau, evolved during the Régence era (1715-1730). One variant type of this tombeau commode incorporates a segmented tablet configuration on its bottom drawer front, whilst its central area is either recessed (or perhaps more accurately the two flanking end tablets project forwards), as on the offered lot. This small central tablet is flanked by two ormolu mounts each of accentuated opposing cornucopia outline, and such pieces tend to either be known as commodes à pont, or as à moustaches.

A specific set of commodes à ponts that house 'Boulle' marquetry composed of tortoiseshell and brass, with numerous examples (as on the above) also having inlaid highlights executed in polychrome stained horn and mother of pearl, have been for the most part attributed to the major figure, Noël Gérard (d.1736). These all tend to be mounted with the exact same ormolu adornments, or in a couple of instances they bear virtually identical mounts.

Contrepartie 'Boulle' comparables of this nature, albeit versions with two drawers, include three exceptional commodes likewise attributed to Gérard; one sold Koller, Zurich, 18 September 2007, lot 1097; another sold Sotheby's, Paris, 13 October 2022, Hotel Lambert, Une Collection Princiere, Vol. III, lot 506; and a further currently on loan to Longleat House, in Wiltshire, forms part of the permanent collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum, accession no. W.18-1997. A commode à moustaches with such contrepartie resides in the Ashburnham collection, sold Sotheby's, London, 26 June 1953, lot 117. A few variants housing three or four drawers were also produced, including one that sold Artcurial, Paris, 20 May 2019, lot 28. The present one has a total of three drawers, albeit the bottom is configured as two short drawers.

Numbered among the première partie examples of this type is a commode illustrated in A. Pradère, L'Art du Mobilier Français, 1990, Paris, fig. 70, p. 113. Therein the author ascribes it to be the work of Gérard due to its strong similarity to another which formed part of the historic Kotschoubey collection, much of which was sold at auction in Paris, in 1906. Two further models are one that sold Sotheby's, Monaco, 23 June 1983; whilst a three-drawer version, which was formerly in the New York based R. Hoe collection, sold Christie's, 19 May 2004, lot 131.

Additional première partie output includes a commode also with three drawer configuration, sold Sotheby's, Monaco, 3 March 1990, lot 247, along with two consecutive pieces offered at Drouot, Paris, Joron-Derem and Dillée, 28 February 2003, lots 146 and 147. A final noteworthy comparable sold Christie's, New York, 20 April 2007, lot 141.

Although Noël Gérard, who was in fact closely related to the renowned cabinet maker Jacques Dubois, initially worked as an ébéniste, records show that Gérard was to also operate as a dealer. Indeed, from about 1720 until 1736, he established himself as one of the most prominent and fashionable marchand merciers based in Paris at the time. Despite this, it is clearly the case that his workshop was still producing furniture throughout this Régence and early Louis XV period. This is proven by the inventory of stock compiled following Gérard's death in 1736, which lists a significant number of items amidst an assortment of clocks and ormolu work as well. Among the one hundred or so pieces of furniture listed, it is documented that more than a quarter were commodes, many of which are referred to therein as 'en tombeau'.

Nonetheless it seems highly probable that a certain volume of Gérard's output was subcontracted or re-sold and had in fact originally been made by some of his contemporaries. It is interesting that arguably two of the closest comparables to the offered example, certainly in terms of their overall form and drawer configuration, are one that is stamped 'F.L.' and produced by the ébéniste François Lieutaud and another simply attributed to Lieutaud. The former was previously with Galerie Léage, Paris (see www.masterart.com for details), whereas the latter sold Sotheby's, New York, 14 September 2021, Long Island Trianon: the Joe and Rachelle Friedman Collection, lot 12.

Although both incorporate virtually identical contrepartie marquetry to that on the above, strikingly the polychrome stained horn and mother of pearl segments are absent on the two former versions. This use of colourful highlights has, as previously mentioned, been typically connected with the oeuvre of Gérard, whereas it seems more than coincidental that the Galerie Léage and Sotheby's models both exhibit slightly more simplified ebony and brass Boulle inlay instead, the latter starkly contrasting method apparently being closer associated to the output of Lieutaud.

An astounding aspect of the commodes here referenced is the evident conformity of the stylised scrolled foliate and arabesque marquetry designs used as the basis for the inlay which veneers much of their surfaces. The reason for this uniform approach is probably that such Boulle panels were supplied by a specialist marqueteur, likely an individual such as Toussaint Devoye (d.1753), to just one marchand which undoubtedly, with regards to this particular group, must have been Noël Gérard. Although it should be noted that Devoye is known to have also provided similar inlaid panels to other cabinet makers; to the likes of Nicolas Sageot (d. 1731) as well as to Pierre Moulin, the latter who was married to Gérard's sister-in-law.

Nöel Gérard
Gérard was operative, both in his capacity as a maker of furniture and as a dealer, during the years 1710-1736. It was not long before his business, which was in 1719 based on the renowned Rue du Faubourg-Saint-Antoine, rapidly flourished and gained widespread fame in tandem. As a result of this great success, Gerard was able to transfer his enterprise to an even more prestigious Parisian address. He moved to Rue Neuve Saint-Merry at the corner of Rue Saint-Martin, but more specifically re-located his 'showroom' into the former hôtel of the celebrated banker and collector of art, Everhard Jabach. Situated in the financial and luxury goods area, this change proved to be a brilliant idea.

Over the course of this same period, Gérard developed into one of the major French 18th century marchands merciers, alongside his career as a prominent ébéniste. From his fashionable Paris base, he counted among his important clients such aristocratic and Royal figures as the Comte de Clermont and Stanislas Leczczynski, the latter of whom at the time was the former King of Poland. His firm also provided furniture for a wide array of dignitaries, including such people as the Marquis de Castellas and the Ambassador of Spain.
As discussed further above, records show that a number of cabinet makers even made carcasses upon behalf of Gérard. Whilst the latter is documented as simultaneously amassing a significant amount of gilt bronze mounts for such pieces, even overseeing the chasing of this kind of ormolu work from his own workshop.