Elegant "alcove" Secretary, Louis XV period, stamped by Denis Genty

Dimensions : H. 110 x W. 71 x D. 31 cm

This elegant alcove secretary opens with a flap and two doors in the lower part. These small size secretaries, called "support height", are more sought after for their aesthetic qualities than for their furnishing function. The absence of the upper drawer, eliminates storage possibilities but contributes to the great purity of the design of this piece of furniture.

The refinement of this secretary can be seen both in the frame and in the marquetry. The front is not, as is often the case, flat. As on the sides, a slight but essential curve undulates and structures the line. The very beautiful marquetry in rhombus frieze in multiple reserves, is made of a single wood very precious in the 18th century: the Satiné, this wonderful species close to the mahogany which provides a moiré effect.

Inside, a shelf and 7 drawers are also finely plated with satin. The ornamentation of bronzes is voluntarily sober to highlight the quality of the plating. Nevertheless, we can observe that the models of unique bronzes were designed for this piece of furniture, as well for the entries of lock as for the shoes and the falls. The chasing is also very careful. The mercury gilding was probably redone in the 19th century, but with a remarkable quality. Finally, the marble top is a very rare garnet colored breccia, probably from Italy.

The general quality of this secretary corroborates the stamp of Denis Genty, Master in Paris on March 13, 1754. This cabinetmaker left his mark on furniture of great quality; as described in the work of "Salverte" for example, Genty had acquired a "brilliant" clientele that included the greatest aristocrats of the time.