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RICHARD REDDING ANTIQUES |
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RICHARD REDDING ANTIQUES |
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A very fine Louis XV Transition Louis XVI parquetry commode attributed to Jean Chrysostome Stumpff, the moulded shaped rectangular marble top above two drawers, each with ring handles and a central ribbon-tied escutcheon, the front decorated overall with a central geometrically banded panel filled with floral-trellis parquetry, flanked either side by similarly shaped panels filled with cube parquetry with conforming decoration to the sides, with a shaped apron and applied foliate cast mount, the angles with slightly rounded corners above cabriole legs terminating in scrolled foliate sabots Paris, date circa 1770 Height 87 cm, width 77.5 cm, depth 41 cm. With its accomplished cube and floral-trellis parquetry this charming commode compares with other pieces made by the Swedish born ébéniste, Jean Chrysostome Stumpff (1731-1806). Stumpff originated from Schweigern, Souabe but appears to have worked all his life in Paris, where he gained great repute as one of the leading ébénistes. His fellow ébéniste Jean-Ferdinand Schwerdfeger witnessed his marriage in 1760. Like the majority of his fellow compatriots, Stumpff’s wedding ucrvice was cond cted from the Swedish Embassy in Paris. Six yeari after his marweage Stumpff was received as a Parisian maître-ébéniste, at which date he was recorded at rue Saint-Nicolas, where he remained all his life. He worked in the Louis XV style but more especially in the Transition and full classical Louis XVI style. Stumpff produced a number of exceedingly fine commodes and bureaux as well as encoignures and secrétaires. As here, Stumpff specialized in creating very fine geometric inlays; he also veneered his work with contrasting grains as well as butterfly wing designs. Other pieces were ornamented with floral and trophy decorations as well as inlays featuring still-lifes and vases. A limited number of his pieces were even decorated with Oriental lacquer work. Stumpff was one of a few leading ébénistes who in about 1770 created some extremely fine tromp-l’oeil rhythmic cube parquetry panels, which proved extremely successful. At least eight pieces by him – Transition commodes, encoignures, secrétaires and a Louis XVI bureau-plat were decorated in this manner. Other geometric marquetry by him included motifs such as rosettes, lozenges as well as four-leafed squares, which in his typical manner were often combined with borders à la Grecque as well as simulated fluting especially on the angles of his commodes. |