A pair of Louis XVI gilt-bronze mounted maple, boxwood and amaranth veneered encoignures, circa 1780, stamped by Roger VanderCruse dit Lacroix or R.V.LC
Estimate
20,000 - 30,000 EUR
Lot Details
Description
with two shelves with marble tops, opening with one drawer with a lozangic marquetry, with cut out edges, with a marble veined with grey top, one stamped R.V.L.C and JME
(2)
Haut. 74 cm, larg. 58 cm, prof. 33,5 cm ; height. 29 in,, width; 22 ¾ in, depth. 13 ¼ in
Sale Pescheteau, Badin, Godeau, Leroy, Paris, 22 March 1995, lot 270 (sold together with a console)
Related literature
P. Kjellberg, Le mobilier français du XVIIIe siècle, dictionnaire des ébénistes et des menuisiers, Paris, 1989
A. Pradère, Les ébénistes français de Louis XIV à la Révolution, Paris, 1989.
VanderCruse Roger dit Lacroix or RVLC, cabinet maker, received master in 1755.
Roger Vandercruse, known as R.V.L.C, was one of the most prolific cabinetmakers of the late reigns of Louis XV and Louis XVI. Brother-in-law of Jean-François Oeben and Jean-Henri Riesener, he received royal commissions for the daughters of Louis XV, the comtes of Provence and Artois. Like his brothers-in-law, RVLC produced high-quality marquetry, using the diamond pattern favoured by Oeben, as we can see on our corner cabinets, while maintaining the simplicity of form characteristic of the Greek and ‘Transition’ styles. He is famous for his Greek-style commodes and small side tables, but also for his more imposing commode, notably those made for the ladies at the Château de Compiègne.
Our pair of encoignures was presented at its last auction in 1995 with a console table featuring identical decoration. Its height of 74 cm, not high enough to serve as a meuble d'appui, can be explained by its probable location in an 18th-century mansion, on the intermediate floors, which were lower than the main floors. Furthermore, it has no doors but features shelves with white marble tops, allowing decorative objects to be displayed, as on console tables. Finally, its decoration is characteristic of the Louis XVI period, with diamond-shaped marquetry, different coloured fillets on the uprights and gilt bronze appliqués with column and laurel garland motifs. The same style of gilt-bronze mounts can be found on a pair of corner cabinets by RVLC, Christie's, Monaco, 12 December 1999, lot 892, from the Palace of Versailles and the collection of Mrs Reginald Fellowes.