A Louis XVI gilt-bronze mounted mahogany commode à l'anglaise by RVLC, late 18th century

Christie's London, 14 December 2000, lot 8.

This form of commode is a variation on the well-known form of side table known as a console desserte. By incorporating panel doors, it becomes a commode desserte, or is sometimes referred to intriguingly as a commode à l’anglaise – this may have been due to its popularity among English patrons, since Dominique Daguerre is associated with this form of commode and sold extensively to English clients. Many examples use the panel doors as a blank canvas for rich ornament, such as the sumptuous gilt-bronze on the example made for Marie Antoinette (now known through imitations such as the one sold at Christie’s London, 15 July 2020, lot 307) or the example by Garnier in the Musée des Arts Décoratifs that incorporates lacquer panels into the doors (CAM 189.1). However, many employ the panels for the decorative display of the fine grain of mahogany, in a more restrained, even English spirit – examples include one by Saunier that was sold Sotheby’s London, lot 106 and was also pictured in G. Wannenes, Le Mobilier français du XVIIIe siècle, Milan, 1998, p.233. A pair of similar commodes à l’anglaise, also by RVLC, were with Partridge and were pictured in their catalogue Summer Exhibition, London, 1990, vat. 51, pp.118-119. This form remains far rarer than the more standard console desserte though, of which examples stamped RVLC sold at Christie’s London, 5 July 2013, lot 129, Christie’s New York, 21 October 2004, lot 1160 and at Piasa Paris, 15 December 2004, lot 103.

RVLC is the acronym used in the stamp for Roger van der Cruse, who tended to use the Gallicised form of his surname ‘de La Croix’ (or a combination of the two). He was received as a maître on 6 February 1755 and, as with many cabinetmakers, had strong personal links within the professional world: his elder sister married first the eminent ébéniste Jean-François Œben, then his replacement as leader of the workshop, Jean-Henri Riesener. RVLC’s work was of supremely high quality and he is best known for his work in the Transition style – three splendid commodes from this period, and delivered by Gilles Joubert Jean-Henri Riesener to Mesdames (the daughters of Louis XV) are in the Frick collection (1915.5.37), the Victoria & Albert Museum (W.17:1-1970) and the Getty (55.DA.5) – the Frick example is stamped RVLC and it is highly likely the RVLC had a collaborative hand in all of them (see P. Kjellberg, Le Mobilier français du XVIII siècle, Paris, 1998, pp.758-759). The present piece, though, embodies the cool, architectural elegance of his later work in the Louis XVI style, like the commode by him now in the Louvre (OA 5230).