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A SILVER-MOUNTED AND INLAID AMBOYNA AND MAHOGANY MEDAL CABINET, BY FRANÇOIS-HONORÉ-GEORGES JACOB-DESMALTER (1770-1841), AFTER A DESIGN BY CHARLES PERCIER (1764-1838), THE SILVER MOUNTS BY THE FIRM OF MARTIN GUILLAUME BIENNAIS (1764-1843), PROBABLY FOLLOWING INSTRUCTIONS FROM BARON DOMINIQUE VIVANT DENON (1747-1825) EMPIRE, CIRCA 1810
Description
- silver, ebony, mahogany
- 112cm. high, 62cm. wide at widest, 41.5cm. deep; 3ft. 8in, 2ft. ½in., 1ft. 4in.
Provenance
Probably acquired by Frederick John Monson, 5th Lord Monson (1809-1841), for Gatton Park, Surrey, in around 1830, where it probably stood in the Library;
Thence by descent to Augustus John Debonnaire Monson, 9th Lord Monson (1868-1914), at Burton Hall, Lincolnshire, see fig.1;
Thence by descent at Burton Hall, Lincolnshire, where it probably stood in the Library, see fig. 2 and after 1958 at South Carlton, Lincolnshire.
Condition
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."
Catalogue Note
Michael Beurdeley, Georges Jacob (1739-1814) et son Temps, Saint-Rémy-en-l'Eau, 2002, pp. 152-157;
Clare Eames, `The Emperor's Cabinet’, The Metropolitan Museum of Art Bulletin,1958-1959, pp. 108-112;
Serge Grandjean, Empire Furniture,1800-1825, London, 1966, ill. 13b;
Anthony Griffiths,` The End of Napoleon’s Histoire Métallique’, Medal, no. 18 (Spring 1991), pp. 35-39.
Danielle O. Kisluk-Grosheide, Wolfram Koeppe, William Rieder, European Furniture in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Highlights of the Collection, New Haven and London, 2006, No. 92, pp. 218-221;
Jean-Marcel-Humbert, L'Egyptomanie dans l'art occidental, Paris, 1989, p.129;
Jean-Marcel-Humbert, Michael Pantazzi, Christiane Ziegler, Egyptomania L'Egypte dans l'art occidental 1730-1930, Paris, Musée du Louvre, 20th January-18th April 1994, pp. 206-207;
Ulrich Leben, ed., Bernard Molitor, 1755-1833, Exhibition Catalogue at Villa Auban, Villa de Luxembourg, 7th October -10th December 1995, p. 125;
Hector Lefuel, François-Honoré-Georges Jacob-Desmalter, ébéniste de Napoléon I er et de Louis XVIII, Paris, 1925.
Preston Remington, The Metropolitan Museum of Art Bulletin, Vol. 22, no. 4 (Apr. 1927), pp. 122-126.
Henry Thorold, Lincolnshire Houses, Norwich, 1999, p. 38.
Richard A. Todd, Napoleon’s Medals Victory to the Arts, Stroud, 2009.
This magnificent and extremely rare medal cabinet represents the zenith of the`goût d’Egypte’ style in France in the early years of the 19th century and is exceptional in terms of both its conception and execution. It is veneered in the most beautifully figured amboyna wood mounted and inlaid with exceptional quality silver mounts and by the most outstanding ébéniste Jacob-Desmalter and goldsmith Martin Guillaume Biennais of the Empire period.
The `goût d’Egypte’ style was promulgated by the architect Baron Dominique Vivant-Denon (1747- 1825), who had accompanied Napoleon on his Egyptian campaign in around 1798-99. Following on from that in 1802, Denon published his celebrated album,`Voyage dans la Basse et haute Egypte pendant les campagnes du Général Bonaparte’, comprising sketches of battle scenes and architectural details which enjoyed great success all over Europe of which there were several foreign editions; two published in London in 1802, two in Germany in 1803 and one in Florence 1808. The Egyptian themes were borrowed and adapted by some of the leading French cabinet-makers of the era and this cabinet epitomises the taste for adapting ancient Egyptian forms and utilising decorative motifs inspired by ancient Egypt. The pylon (gateway) at the Apollonopolis Parva (now Ghoos) in Upper Egypt, which was depicted by Denon in Plate 80, of his 1802 Album, was obviously the model for the upper section of this cabinet, reproduced here in fig. 3.
The Monson cabinet reflects Jacob-Desmalter's exceptional ébénisterie, `characterised by superb quality, classical severity and functional perfection...'. It is a superlative representation of his innovative furniture and virtuosity as an ébéniste with the employment of the choicest veneers embellished with superb quality silver mounts by Napoleon’s leading silversmith Martin Guillaume Biennais (1764-1843), and according to Grandjean, op. cit., p. 86, `Amboyna and satinwood were not much in demand (during the Empire period) because their prices were high' which reinforces the rarity of this cabinet. The silver marks are from between 1809-1819, next to Biennais’s mark for 1793-94, and even though the cabinet is early 19th century it was usual for Biennais to use earlier marks and to reuse them on other silver. Regarding the silver mark for 1793-1794, this was an unofficial mark. After the abolition of their guild at the time of the Revolution, goldsmiths were no longer permitted to use the mark that for centuries had testified that their metal was to the prescribed standard. As an act of self-protection, they introduced a new unofficial mark of quality of their own.
This cabinet was obviously inspired by the design by Charles Percier (1764-1838), dated to the first quarter of the 19th century, which is now in the Musée des Arts Décoratifs, Cabinet des Arts graphiques, Paris (CD 3240), illustrated by Kisluk-Grosheide, op. cit., p. 220, fig. 126, reproduced here in fig. 4. It is interesting to note that the drawing clearly shows a medal cabinet in a wood with a very tight swirling pattern-possibly amboyna, which reinforces the fact that the offered cabinet very closely follows the original design by Percier.
The differences between this cabinet and the only other known example which is in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, reproduced here in fig. 5, (see post) are in both materials and form as follows: this cabinet is veneered in amboyna whereas the Metropolitan’s is in mahogany and the design by Percier appears to incorporate burrwood rather than mahogany as previously stated. The drawers of this cabinet are much shallower whereas the Metropolitan’s has graduated but deeper drawers with silver mounts of a larger size in the form of scarabs or bees on the drawer fronts. This cabinet opens on the front only and not both sides, and has 41 drawers, whereas the Metropolitan cabinet has 22 drawers on each side making a total of 44 in total and the drawer construction differs. There is a large brass plate behind the lockplate on the reverse of the door of the Monson cabinet which is not present on the Metropolitan cabinet. This cabinet has the silver bands below the front frieze centred by an `x' which is not present on the Metropolitan cabinet and the latter also has an unusual almost Ionic capital above the disc which is missing on this cabinet which does not appear on the Percier design. Furthermore, this cabinet terminates in bracket feet rather than a platform base and is much less flared in outline than the Metropolitan one. Finally, the internal lockplate on the door of the Monson cabinet is signed `Biennais, Orfre de LL. M.M.. Imples et Royles à Paris’ , which the Metropolitan's is not although on the latter above each keyhole Biennais’s name is engraved and there are also slight variations of the engravings on the metalwork of both in particular the bees on the Metropolitan's cabinet.
The Monson cabinet in view of its decorative style and execution has very strong associations with both Napoleon and Denon: as stated previously the use of the most expensive wood-amboyna-fit for an Emperor and the handles on the internal drawers are in the form of scarab-like insects or bees a symbol of Napoleon. This kind of model of scarabs/bees was used by Biennais when he was involved in mounting this type of medal cabinet, such as the ones made in 1800 for Eugène de Beauharnais (Napoleon’s stepson) and Marie-Louise, his wife in 1812. Also according to family tradition the key of the offered cabinet had N for Napoleon on it, was lost in around 1958, when the furniture was moved from Burton Hall to South Carlton and was reputed to have been given by Napoleon to his Empress Marie-Louise. It is worthwhile noting there are no initials on the Metropolitan cabinet key. What is also interesting is that unlike the Metropolitan’s plain lockplate on the inside of the door, the one on this cabinet is rather obviously engraved with Biennais’s name and advertises the fact that he is the Emperor’s goldsmith. Furthermore, although it has not been possible to date to identify the offered cabinet in the accounts of Biennais, that is not to say that it was not also made for Napoleon on Denon’s instructions.
Napoleon was passionate about medals and it is conceivable that several medal cabinets would have been commissioned either directly by him or via Denon’s instructions to Jacob-Desmalter and Biennais. In the late 1790’s, during his Egyptian campaign, Napoleon came upon a medal of the Roman general Julius Caesar and later on he discovered coins of William the Conqueror and Napoleon imbued these with great significance. Napoleon commissioned hundreds of medals during the course of his reign to mark significant achievements such as treaties and to glorify his conquests. The medals were not only works of art but propaganda according to Todd, op. cit. One of the most interesting groups were the series of Napoleonic medallions that relate to the acquisition of Italian works of art by the French Armies. On 16th August 1803, Napoleon visited the Louvre where he saw the renowned Venus de Medici and received from Vivant Denon, then Director General of Museums, a medal depicting the ancient masterpiece. However, it was of the Egyptian campaign that Napoleon stated `the time I spent in Egypt (was)….the most beautiful of my life’. His campaign included scholarly research taking a team of 167 scholars. He founded in Cairo the Egyptian Institute which resulted in his Description de l’Egypte published in ten folio volumes on which those scholars worked for twenty years. According to Todd, op. cit., `The real legacy of Napoleon’s Egyptian campaign was the birth of the discipline of Egyptology’. Three Egyptian medals were eventually produced commemorating-the Conquest of Upper Egypt (1806) the Conquest of Egypt (1808) and the Conquest of Lower Egypt (1810).
Anthony Griffiths op. cit., states regarding the Metropolitan cabinet, `The most interesting record, however, is an account submitted in February 1814 by ( the goldsmith) Biennais for 3600 francs, for what is described as the `médailler du Roi'. In Biennais's account, Griffiths continues, this medal cabinet for the Emperor is described as being `in the form of an Egyptian pedestal, containing 44 mahogany drawers with silver mounts and meant to serve as a stand for the emperor's medal cabinet'. As the Metropolitan's cabinet has two sets of 22 drawers this is quite compelling, although definitive evidence that the Metropolitan cabinet was made for Napoleon has not been found to date. Although what is puzzling is that perhaps this entry refers to another cabinet as clearly the Metropolitan Museum and Monson cabinet were intended to be stand alone medal cabinets in their own right and not merely pedestals to serve as a stand for a medal cabinet.
The history of the very similar cabinet in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, (inv.26.168.77) is unclear, as to whether Denon himself commissioned it or purchased it, however, what is known is that it was recorded in the sale upon the death of Baron Dominique Vivant Denon (1747-1825) in 1826 and listed as `Un médaillier en acajou; forme de naos monolithe égyptien. Ce médaillier est garni, de chaque côté, de 22 tiroirs masque par une porte recouvrante; ses trois faces sont richement décores d’emblèmes égyptiens, incrustés en argent. Socle en marble veiné’. The marble socle is obviously now missing. As stated in the catalogue entry for the Metropolitan's cabinet by Jacob-Desmalter after a Percier design and with silver mounts by the firm of Biennais, which is dated 1809-19, the enmity between Denon and Percier would seem to indicate that it was not a commission by Denon but a later purchase, and that he was not the first owner of the cabinet. As Jean Marcel Humbert observed regarding the Metropolitan cabinet which can be made in relation to the offered one op. cit., `The originality and variety of its decoration make this piece an excellent illustration of the taste for things Egyptian at the beginning of the nineteenth century. At the same time it is the very essence of Egyptomania; the adaptation of antique forms and decorations, in dimensions as well as materials, to a type of object and function completely different from those associated with these symbols in Antiquity’.
Dominique Vivant, Baron Denon (1747-1825) more than any other figure during the Napoleonic era, was almost the sole arbiter of the artistic taste of the Age and even influenced Emperor Napoleon in that regard. Denon began his career in the household of Madame de Pompadour eventually filling diplomatic posts in St. Petersburg, Stockholm and Naples. He was ambassador to Naples from 1779 to 1785 and was responsible for the design of the Legion of Honour made by the firm of Biennais, which Napoleon bestowed upon those he favoured in his immediate circle. He supervised everything made in the workshops of the court artists and craftsmen. In 1802, he became the Director-in Chief of the Musée Napoléon and master of the Mint where he was also responsible for the striking of medals. He had a passion for medals and upon his death his inventory listed three thousand contemporary medals alone.
In the Musée des Arts Décoratifs, there are five hand coloured designs for furniture including drawings that Percier executed for Biennais, one depicts a rectangular bedside table, the other a medal-cabinet ordered by Vivant Denon. The latter was an antiquarian and fascinated by the exotic art forms of Egypt. His drawings were both records of the past and as patterns for future designer’s according to Clare Eames, p. 109, op. cit., `It was perhaps the most influential factor in the popularity of Egyptian decoration…’
Jacob-Desmalter was asked to make for Denon for his own private use a set of mahogany furniture based on the latter's drawings, including a bed in classical taste with three sides decorated in silver to be placed against a wall, a pair of armchairs, a medal cabinet with twenty-two drawers which is probably the one now in the Metropolitan Museum (see ante). The aforementioned furniture is listed in a catalogue drawn up the day after Denon's death by L.J. Dubois, Description des objets d'art qui composent le cabinet de feu M .le Baron Vivant Denon, Paris, 1826, pages 189-190, nos. 832, 833, and the names of Denon and Jacob-Desmalter were cited as the authors of these pieces. According to Grandjean, op. cit., p. 34`..one must write the name of Denon high on the list of originators of the Egyptian mode, and insist that his influence on the furniture of Napoleon’s era was of considerable importance’.
It is interesting to note that in John Bernard Burke's, `A Visitation of the Seats and Arms of the Noblemen and Gentlemen of Great Britain', London 1853, vol. II, p. 226. (published by Hurst and Blakett, Great Marlborough Street), referring to his visit to Gatton Park, Surrey, purchased by the 5th Lord Monson in 1830, there is the following extract:
“The library is entirely fitted up with ebony and ivory. The sofas, tables, and chairs, all of ebony, richly carved, came from Amsterdam; the chimney-piece of Rosso Antreo, with its clocks and candelabra of bronze, was a gift from Napoleon to Eugene Beauharnais on his marriage, and a small escritoire, with some curious contrivances appertaining, belonged also to the Emperor, and was used by him in his campaigns.”
This would seem to confirm that already in 1853 and probably even earlier, perhaps upon the purchase of Gatton Park, in 1830, or during Lord Monson's extensive travels in the 1820's and 1830's, gifts from Napoleon and an item reputedly belonging to him, namely an escritoire that was used by Napoleon in his campaigns, were in the 5th Lord Monson's collection. This also assists in dating the probable acquisition of the medal cabinet by the 5th Lord Monson to around 1830 and further confirms the family's strong connections with Napoleonica.
Furthermore, the medal cabinet in the Metropolitan Museum (bequest of Collis P. Huntington in 1900) was possibly acquired in the second half of the 19th century. However, no provenance for the Metropolitan cabinet is recorded prior to that. The Huntington collection is well known and the Huntington Museum has an outstanding collection of French 18th century art formed by Henry Huntington (1850-1927), the nephew and business associate of Collis P. Huntington (1821-1900), the railroad magnate.
In conclusion therefore, with regards to the Monson cabinet, in the absence of documentary evidence to date, this extremely rare and sumptuous cabinet of exceptional quality was either a commission on behalf of Emperor Napoleon either for his own use or for a member of the Imperial family or for Baron Denon for his own personal use to contain some of his vast collection of medals. It is certainly conceivable that in view of Napoleon’s profound interest in medals that this is the only other outstanding example of a medal cabinet in the `goût d’Egypte’ style, apart from the Metropolitan example, which has resurfaced after nearly two hundred years.
Frederick John Monson, 5th Baron Monson (1809-1841) and Gatton Park, Surrey:
He is well recorded as a collector and travelled extensively in Europe in the 1820's and 1830's and purchased Gatton Park in Surrey in 1830. Sir George Colebrooke (1729-1809), had acquired Gatton from his brother Sir James Colebrooke (1722-1761), a prominent London banker and Member of Parliament for Gatton. In 1762, Sir George, who was Member of Parliament for Arundel and chairman of the East India Company, embarked on a series of improvements to the estate, commissioning Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown to remodel the park. Brown spent nearly six years working at Gatton, taking the unusual step of actually supervising the gardening in hand, and transformed whatever formal gardens had existed before into sweeping Arcadian parkland.
Gatton passed through a number of hands in the following years and in 1830 was sold for £100,000 by Sir Mark Wood, 2ndBt. (1794-1837) to Frederick John Monson, 5th Lord Monson. Monson redeveloped the house, commissioning Thomas Hopper, who designed a magnificent marble hall based on the Corsini Chapel in Church of St. John Lateran, in Rome, and Joseph Severn for frescoes of the Classical Virtues. Brown’s park remained largely intact however, and the estate remained in the Monson family until 1888, and after his death his widow, Theodosia, Dowager Lady Monson, lived on there. The property was eventually sold by the 7th Lord Monson in 1888 and the contents moved to Burton Hall.When it was sold by the 5th Baron’s grandson, William Monson, 1st Viscount Oxenbridge, to Sir Jeremiah Colman, a prominent Norwich based food manufacturer and financier whose fortune was founded on the famous Colman’s Mustard.
Augustus John Debonnaire Monson, 9th Lord Monson (1868-1914):
He was attaché at the embassy in Paris from 1897-1900, when his uncle Sir Edmund Monson was the Ambassador. Augustus was a great friend of Lord Rosebery who encouraged his interest in Napoleon memorabilia, the latter having an entire room dedicated to Napoleonica at Mentmore and Lord Rosebery was the author the book, `Napoleon, The Last Phase’in 1901. When Augustus married, which he did on 1st July 1903 at the British Embassy, he took as a wife Romaine Stone, daughter of General Roy Stone, USA army and widow of Lawrence Turnure of New York. Their son was born in 1907 and was christened John Rosebery Monson.
François-Honoré-Georges Jacob-Desmalter (1770-1841):
He was the favourite cabinet-maker of Napoleon and belonged to a dynasty of leading cabinet-makers. Amongst Jacob-Desmalter's first commissions, was the decoration and furnishing of the town house of Napoleon and his wife Josephine in the rue Chantereine and the surviving furniture illustrates the patriotic and symbolic tastes which were so characteristic of the Directoire period heralding the Empire style. His next major commission was for the Récamiers, important and influential French bankers. At about the same time the firm was commissioned to decorate and furnish Malmaison, by Percier and Fontaine, which was the country retreat of Josephine, where furniture in the` goût d’Egypte’ style still remains today. The firm also provided furniture for Bonaparte's apartments at the Tuileries and also exhibited at the second and third public exhibitions at the `Products of French Industry' held in 1801 and 1802 in the courtyard of the Louvre and Jacob-Desmalter received a Gold Medal at the 1802 exhibition. It was during the Empire period that his reputation was established and his talent fully recognised, as it is recorded that in 1807, the firm employed 350 workmen. His work according to Grandjean, op. cit., `is esteemed not only on account of its stylistic homogeneity but because of its consistent high quality'.
Charles Percier (1764-1838):
Charles Percier and his partner Pierre-François–Léonard Fontaine (1762-1853), the most celebrated architects and decorators during the Empire period, were largely responsible for creating the Empire style and are synonymous with creating the furniture and decoration heavy with symbolism for Napoleon. They had been in Rome from 1785 to 1790, where they had followed David's teaching, and they were fully familiar with Ancient Greek and Roman art, which was a major inspiration for their decoration and furnishing. Percier and Fontaine, published their Receuil des decorations intérieurs, (1801, reissued in 1812) and they used motifs such as giant N’s in laurel wreaths, eagles and bees to make the style fully Napoleonic. Both were fully employed by Napoleon as both architects and interior decorators on various palaces such as Malmaison, Tuileries, Louvre, St. Cloud and Versailles. They transformed Napoleon's palaces into lavish showcases for the produce of French art and industry. Percier was also a partner of Jacob-Desmalter and they worked very closely together.
Martin Guillaume Biennais (1764-1853):
He was born in Lacochèe near Argentan on 29th Aril 1764. The Duc de Luynes in his Rapport sur l’industrie des métaux précieux à l’Exposition of 1851 stated` Bonaparte having become Emperor, ordered from him large amounts of furniture, tabletterie, and nécessaires, not only for himself but for all of his relatives…’Jérôme Bonaparte purchased from him in 1800 a nécessaire de voyage when he was based at the Singe violet 238 rue Saint-Honoré. The imperial insignia used by Napoleon were made by Biennais and at the Exposition Industrielle of 1806, Biennais won a Gold Medal for the objects he exhibited. In 1806, he was appointed goldsmith to the Emperor. After Biennais’s death in 1843, it was written` When Bonaparte came back from Egypt he didn’t have any other fortune except glory and traders did not want to sell to him on credit. Biennais was the only one to accept this and he became Napoleon’s official goldsmith when he became Emperor.’
Napoleon’s appreciation for the credit given, was demonstrated when he returned to Paris in an increasing number of commissions for Biennais making silver, furniture and jewellery as well as chessboards and travelling cases, much of it ordered by Napoleon for his own use or for gift. At the same period Denon was becoming Napoleon’s cultural mentor advising him in all matters of taste. Biennais’s trade card read `Orfévre de S.M.l’Empereur et Roi' and another trade card lists the objects he made and interestingly it includes `ébénisterie’ (cabinet-work).