Antique gilt bronze mounted kingwood Vernis Martin side cabinet
Price upon request
A stunning tall 19th century French gilt bronze mounted, Vernis Martin, and parquetry side cabinet.
This kingwood side cabinet is of bombé form (with a rounded front and sides) with a marble top, in the Rococo style of Louis XV. The cabinet stands on four splayed legs, which terminate in gilt bronze scrolled feet. The front decorated with a beautiful vernis Martin panel depicting a classic rococo scene with An amorous encounter where a young lady is approached by a young man who is seen carrying a bottle of liquor. At the back, a man is playing the cello. All of them are lavishly dressed in late 17th-century clothing. They are illustrated in an outdoor garden where a mermaid fountain can be seen in the background. The landscape of trees is painted in soft colors and curvy lines. There's a glimpse of a building in the background, a white stoned structure that curves and extends outside the painting. A lighthearted scene of courtly love.
Circa 1880
Height: 57.5" (146 cm)
Width: 36" (91.4 cm)
Depth: 17.5" (44.4 cm)
Vernis Martin, lustrous lacquer substitute widely used in the 18th century to decorate furniture and such personal articles as Brise fans and snuff boxes. The process of adding bronze or gold powder to green varnish was perfected by the Martin family (q.v.), hence its name vernis Martin (“Martin varnish”). Highly praised by Voltaire, it was developed to imitate East Asian lacquerware being imported into France during the Louis XV period. Vernis Martin was made in several colours, green and a golden red being the most characteristic See also lacquer work.
