{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O118100"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O118100/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AM2329/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AM2329/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006AM2329","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006AM2327","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006AM2318","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006AM2317","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006AM2316","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006AM1203","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O118100/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O118100","accessionNumber":"1443:1 to 6-1882","objectType":"Commode ","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"Commodes, as chests-of-drawers are known in France, were first made in the early years of the 18th century and rapidly became the most fashionable form of furniture, ousting the cabinets-on-stands that had held that place in the late 17th century. \r\n\r\nThis commode is richly decorated with floral marquetry. The flower heads would have been copied from one of the engravings of flowers published widely in Europe, with individual flowers set to compose these large bouquets. The top is the most elaborate design, centreing on a basket of flowers set within a framework of scrolls that is enlived with figures of birds, butterflies, cherubs and even hounds and deer, all shown at slightly different scale.  \r\n\r\nThe marquetry has now faded to a uniform golden colour but would originally have been much more highly coloured, some colours achieved by staining the woods.\r\n","physicalDescription":"<u>Design</u>\nThe commode is of rectangular form with canted front corners.  The front gives the appearance of housing 6 drawer fronts but four of these are paired to create two long drawers below and two half-length drawers above. The commode is raised on four short outset bracket feet and the centre of the front is set with a shaped apron.  The top of the canted corners are outset and these areas, the feet and the apron are set with gilt-brass mounts. Those on the canted corners cast with a console bracket above a pierced trophy that includes musical instruments, a quiver and a theatrical mask.  The apron and feet mounts are more rococo in form, with pierced, foliate scrolls, the apron mount centreing on a cabochon. These are additions to the commode and the foot mounts appear to be opened out versions of a model designed for a narrow foot of a piece of furniture made at least half a century later.  The drawers have bail handles, pendant from circular backplates cast with roundels of acanthus leaf.  The left-hand roundel on the upper long drawer is a replacement. The top is edged with a plain gilt-brass moulding.\n\nThe commode is veneered in ebony and ebonized wood, inlaid with floral marquetry in a variety of woods, some stained and hot-sand shaded, and with ivory, and stringing of brass.  The marquetry on the top shows a shaped framing fillet in light wood, bursting into foliage at different points, enclosing a large central basket filled with flowers,including peonies and carnations, standing on a shelf covered with drapery of textile, a motif known as a <i>lambrequin</i>.  The design within the fillet is filled with inlay of birds eating fruit, butterflies, masks, a group of hounds and deer, all surrounding the basket and flowers.   The sides of the commode are  each set with an arrangement of flowers, including lilies and anenomes, arising out of a cup formed of acanthus leaves, set on a plinth, with symmetrical acanthus scrolls to either side.  The lower part of each panel includes jasmine flowers in ivory.  Each of the six apparent drawer fronts is set with a pair of <i>cornucopiae </i>or horns of plenty, from which emerge flowers, different on each drawer. Above each handle the marquetry shows a double branch of jasmine, the flowers in ivory.  The canted front corners, the front of the dust boards between the drawers and the apparent central drawer dividers are set with formal strapwork motifs in lighter woods. \n\n<u>Construction</u>\nThe commode is built as a three-sided, dove-tailed box, supported on the feet which are built up of several blocks of softwood that are glued and screwed to each other and to the underside of the case. The canted front corners are formed of shaped elements of ebonized wood glued and pinned to the front edge of the sides.  The apron is cut from a single block of wood, attached to the case with glue-block. This may be a later addition. The case back is built of softwood boards set horizontally and is set in grooves in the case sides, the lower edge pinned into a rebate in the case bottom. The top is of softwood, of cleated construction. It is glued to the top of the case sides and back.  A small wooden moulding is pinned to the front and side edges to support the brass moulding.  The two dust boards are tenoned into the sides of the case.  The divider between the top drawers is the only piece of oak used in the construction of the commode. It is glued and nailed in place.  All four drawers are of poplar with softwood fronts. They are through-dovetailed at front and back, the joins at the front corners protected by quarter-round mouldings which are mitred at each corner. The grain of the drawer bottoms runs laterally on the small drawers and front-to-back on the large drawers.  All are set in rebates in the base of the fronts, backs and sides.  \n\nThe double-throw locks are replacements. \n\n","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Unknown","id":"A1848"},"association":{"text":"maker","id":"x40240"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"softwood","id":"AAT12510"},{"text":"oak","id":"AAT12264"},{"text":"poplar","id":"AAT12363"},{"text":"ebony","id":"AAT12055"},{"text":"gilt brass","id":"x38746"},{"text":"brass","id":"AAT10946"},{"text":"steel","id":"AAT133751"}],"techniques":[{"text":"cabinet-making","id":"AAT53607"},{"text":"veneering","id":"AAT53878"},{"text":"marquetry","id":"AAT53853"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Veneered in ebony and ebonized wood on a carcase of softwood, oak and poplar, the veneer inlaid with marquetry of a number of different woods, some stained or shaded by scorching with hot sand, and ivory; mounts of gilt brass; locks of steel and brass","categories":[{"text":"Furniture","id":"THES48948"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"FWK","id":"THES48597"},"images":["2006AM2329","2006AM2327","2006AM2318","2006AM2317","2006AM2316","2006AM1203"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"005","id":"THES302808"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"002","id":"THES344278"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"002","id":"THES344278"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"002","id":"THES344278"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"002","id":"THES344278"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"002","id":"THES344278"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Keys","id":""}],[{"text":"Drawer","id":""}],[{"text":"Drawer","id":""}],[{"text":"Drawer","id":""}],[{"text":"Drawer","id":""}],[{"text":"Chest of drawers","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Paris","id":"x29068"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"ca.1700-1720","earliest":"1695-01-01","latest":"1720-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":"The form of furniture known as a commode (chest of drawers) appeared in France in the years just after 1700."}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Bequeathed by Miss M. Coutts Trotter","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"86.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"119","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Depth","value":"65.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Weight","value":"92","unit":"kg","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"Dimensions checked on object","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"The drawers marked in black ink or pencil in French indicating position in case ('coté gauche' and 'coté droit').  "},{"content":"'LA REPUBLIQUE' and '1 septembre 1848'","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"Printed text on newspaper used to mend one of three splits in the bottom of the case: one of these includes the title 'LA REPUBLIQUE' and the date '1 septembre 1848'"},{"content":"","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"A paper label inscribed in French was removed from the case in the 1970s and cannot now be traced. At that time the label was considered to be 18th century in date or earlier. "},{"content":"","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"The drawers and dust boards variously marked with arabic numberals indicating the position of the drawers in the cases.  The drawers in the two banks of drawers in the upper case are marked with ink, pencil and crayon, the numbers running in two opposing sequences. The internal drawers are only marked in red crayon or ink.\nAll Montargis labels now in FF15/CB39/2."},{"content":"","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"3 labels, originally inscribed in ink, but now illegible, originally glued to the case top but now in the departmental archive.  One was said (by Gillian Wilson, 1970s) to have repeated the text of the one set by Miss Coutts Trotter inside the drawer recess (see next entry).  The other two had been stuck one on top of the other. The top one appeared by the handwriting to date from the mid-18th or early 19th century.  The one underneath could be late 17th or early 18th century in date. This seems to have been put on before the cabinet was painted black. "},{"content":"4th part of the 5 pieces of furniture taken out of the Chateau de Montargis when under demolition 18.. by order of Louis Philippe bought by me and presented to the South Kensington museum - 1881","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"In inscription on paper label (now removed to departmental archive), originally glued inside the space that houses the middle drawer in the left bank"}],"objectHistory":"This commode was given to the South Kensington Museum in 1882, as part of a group of furniture bequeathed by Miss Margaret Coutts Trotter (1809-1882). The group had, by repute, been part of the furnishings at the château de Montargis in 1832: other pieces in the group arrived in the Museum with labels attached to them, written by Margaret Coutts Trotter, that stated: 'during the Reign of Louis Philippe / the Chateau of Montargis near / Fontainebleau was entirely / cleared out and destroyed / I saw the whole of the furniture / de salle, put together for sale / [I] bought it as it stood' (label attached to 1041-1882).\n\nThe history of the pieces is undocumented, but it is possible that they were acquired by Philippe I duc d'Orléans (1640-1701) for one of his residences and then later removed to Montargis after his death. In the 17th century the duc d'Orleans had negotiated the construction of a canal from Orleans to Montargis, to join another canal linking the Loire and the Loing rivers, thus linking the town to Paris, about 100 kilometres to the north and greatly facilitating trade. The château de Montargis stayed in the possession of the Orléans family until the late 18th century. From 1791 it changed hands several times over a short period, before eventually being demolished in the 25 years between 1810 and 1834. Towards the end of the demolition process the contents of the château were sold. The group of furniture that is now in the V&amp;A was bought by Coutts Trotter at an undocumented sale at the château in around 1832.","historicalContext":"It is unlikely that this sophisticated, Paris-made piece of furniture was originally destined for the rather remote Chateau de Montargis, but it may have come there later from another Orléans property. \n\n","briefDescription":"A commode of rectangular shape with canted front corners, raised on low feet, the front apparently showing six drawer fronts, in fact covering two long drawers below and two short drawers above. The commode is veneered with ebony inlaid with floral marquetry in a variety of woods (some stained), with ivory, the marquetry of the top centreling on a large vase of flowers.  The front corners, feet and apron are set with gilt-brass mounts. The bail handles to the drawers and the keyhole escutcheons are gilt-brass and the edge of the top is set with an outline mount of gilt-brass. ","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Alcouffe, Daniel, Geoffrey de Bellaigue, Christian Baulez, Denise Ledoux-Lebard, Il Mobile Francese dal Medievo al 1925. Milan: Gruppo Editoriale Fabbri, 1981, illl. p. 36."},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Müller-Christensen, Sigrid, <i>Vom Mittelalter bis zum Biedermeier</i>. Munich: Alte Möbel, 1948, p. 82"}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[{"text":"Montargis","id":"THES252522"}],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"Chest of drawers\r\nFloral marquetry of various woods and ivory with gilt bronze mounts\r\nFrench: last quarter of the 17th century\r\nPart of a suite from the Chateau de Montargis\r\nGiven by Miss Margaret Coutts Trotter","date":{"text":"1966","earliest":"1966-01-01","latest":"1966-12-31"}}],"partNumbers":["1443:6-1882","1443:5-1882","1443:4-1882","1443:3-1882","1443:2-1882","1443:1-1882"],"accessionNumberNum":"1443","accessionNumberPrefix":"","accessionYear":1882,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE","Keys","Drawer [1]","Drawer [2]","Drawer [3]","Drawer [4]","Chest of drawers"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-12-08","recordCreationDate":"2005-11-02","availableToBook":true}}