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87-524: Perhaps the most famous example of furniture inlay is that of André-Charles Boulle (1642–1732) which is known as Boulle work and evolved in part from inlay produced in Italy during the late 15th century at the studiolo for Federico da Montefeltro in his Ducal Palace at Urbino , in which trompe-l'œil shelving seems to carry books, papers, curios and mathematical instruments, in eye-deceiving perspective. The similar private study made for him at Gubbio

174-428: A chaser , gilder and maker of marquetry. Boulle received the post of Premier ébéniste du Roi . Boulle initially had aspirations to be a painter but according to one of his close friends, Pierre-Jean Mariette (7 May 1694 – 10 September 1774), he was forced by his cabinetmaker father, Jean Boulle, to develop other skills. This may explain a sense of 'missed vocation' and resultant 'passion' and utter dedication to

261-490: A bit undone). Colors connected with earthy tones: grays, greens and browns are very common here. See Adirondack Architecture . Mission design is characterised by straight, thick horizontal and vertical lines and flat panels. The most common material used in Mission furniture is oak. For early mission cabinetmakers, the material of choice was white oak, which they often darkened through a process known as "fuming" . Hardware

348-470: A further blow by a fire which began in an adjoining atelier and spread to his workshop in the Place du Louvre (one of three he maintained ), completely destroying twenty workbenches and the various tools of eighteen ébénistes, two menuisiers as well as most of the precious seasoned wood, appliances, models, and finished works of art. What could be salvaged was sold and a petition for financial assistance made to

435-494: A growing demand by the rising middle class in most industrialised countries for finely made furniture. This eventually grew the total number of traditional cabinet makers. Before 1650, fine furniture was a rarity in Western Europe and North America. Generally, people did not need it and for the most part could not afford it. They made do with simple but serviceable pieces. The Arts and Crafts movement which started in

522-435: A material that is intended to be finished with a stain or other transparent or semi-transparent finish. MDF has been the primary choice among manufacturers to be used on a solid finish painted surface. Cabinets which rest on the floor are supported by some base. This base could be a fully enclosed base (i.e. a plinth ), a scrolled based, bracket feet or it could be a set of legs. A type of adjustable leg has been adopted from

609-494: A rather soft, white wood, is not meet to withstand the ravages of time and the variations of the atmosphere. Alternate heat and humidity are even greater enemies of inlaid furniture than time and wear. Such delicate objects were rarely used, and the most talented of the artists were employed by the crown. Some of André-Charles Boulle’s art at the Louvre are shown below: Some of the most spectacular works by Boulle are on display at

696-518: A run of cabinets. Kitchen cabinets, or any cabinet generally at which a person may stand, usually have a fully enclosed base in which the front edge has been set back 75 mm or so to provide room for toes, known as the kick space . A scrolled base is similar to the fully enclosed base but it has areas of the base material removed, often with a decorative pattern, leaving feet on which the cabinet stands. Bracket feet are separate feet, usually attached in each corner and occasionally for larger pieces in

783-485: A series of workshop drawings traditionally ascribed to Boulle in the Musée des Arts Décoratifs , Paris and private collections; and the descriptions in the inventory of works in progress made when Boulle transferred legal ownership of the workshops to his sons in 1715. A few of the more magnificent pedigree-pieces are among the worlds mobiliary treasures. There are, for instance, two famous armoires , which fetched 12,075 at

870-485: A similar technique that largely replaced it in high-style European furniture during the 17th century, in that marquetry is an assembly of veneers applied over the entire surface of an object, whereas inlay consists of small pieces inserted on the bed of cut spaces in the base material, of which most remains visible. The history of inlay is very old but it is still evolving alongside new technologies and new materials being discovered today. The technique of metal in metal inlay

957-413: A small percentage of furniture production in any industrial country, but their numbers are vastly greater than those of their counterparts in the 18th century and before. Glamour style was originally a combination of English, Greek Revival, French Regency and Hollywood glamour. The main colours of glam cabinets can follow high impact or soft and luxurious directions. The most important feature of this style

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1044-406: A table top may have what is considered a "live edge" that allows you to see the original contours of the tree that it came from. It also often uses whole logs or branches including the bark of the tree. Rustic furniture is often made from pine , cedar , fir and spruce . Rustic furniture is usually very simple, handmade and oversized. It is characterised by a bit of roughness (raw woods which look

1131-436: A wall or are attached to it like a medicine cabinet . Cabinets are typically made of wood (solid or with veneers or artificial surfaces), coated steel (common for medicine cabinets), or synthetic materials. Commercial grade cabinets usually have a melamine-particleboard substrate and are covered in a high-pressure decorative laminate commonly referred to as Wilsonart or Formica. Cabinets sometimes have one or more doors on

1218-470: A width of 12", and be as large as 42". Sizing increments for both wall and base cabinets are a standard of 3". Cabinet boxes produced for kitchens are typically made of wood derivatives such as MDF , plywood , or particle board . The cabinet box will most often have a wood veneer to finish the interior. Cabinet door and drawer face material will depend on the manufacturer. Often a natural wood such as maple, oak, ash, birch, cherry, or alder will be used as

1305-424: Is because it gives a sense of depth to Boulle work . The initial processing of tortoiseshell involves separating the layers of the scutes from the animal's carapace by heating, and softening the plates by boiling them, in salt water, and thereafter flattening them under a press. Although two pieces could be fused together by use of a hot iron, great care had to be taken not to lose the colour. Finishing and polishing

1392-432: Is called a dresser or a chest of drawers . A small bedside cabinet is more frequently called a nightstand or night table . A tall cabinet intended for clothing storage including hanging of clothes is called a wardrobe or an armoire , or (in some countries) a closet if built-in. Before the advent of industrial design , cabinet makers were responsible for the conception and the production of any piece of furniture. In

1479-606: Is known as " Boulle work " and the École Boulle , a college of fine arts and crafts and applied arts in Paris, today bears testimony to his art. With the Industrial Revolution and the application of steam power to cabinet making tools, mass production techniques were gradually applied to nearly all aspects of cabinet making, and the traditional cabinet shop ceased to be the main source of furniture, domestic or commercial. In parallel to this evolution there came

1566-713: Is now in the Metropolitan Museum of Art . In a wood matrix, inlays commonly use wood veneers , but other materials like shells , mother-of-pearl , horn or ivory may also be used. Pietre dure , or coloured stones inlaid in white or black marbles, and inlays of precious metals in a base metal matrix, are other forms of inlay. Master craftspeople who make custom knives continue a tradition of ancient techniques of inlaying precious metals; additionally, many new techniques which use contemporary tools have also been developed and utilized as well by artisans. Intarsia inlay in wood furniture differs from marquetry ,

1653-493: Is often visible on the outside of the pieces and made of black iron. It is a style that became popular in the early 20th century; popularised by designers in the Arts and Crafts and Art Nouveaux movements. Also known as Asian design , this style of furniture is characterised by its use of materials such as bamboo and rattan . Red is a frequent colour choice along with landscape art and Chinese or other Asian language characters on

1740-610: Is that foreign artists flocking to the Sun King 's Court were keen to be naturalised French subjects to 'fit in' and would, like Jean-Baptiste Lully the Royal Musician (28 November 1632 – 22 March 1687), have changed their names. For Lully, it was from "Giovanni Battista Lulli" to " Jean-Baptiste Lully ") but at his marriage, he falsely declared his father's name to be Laurent de Lully, gentilhomme Florentin [Florentine gentleman]". This historical background makes it difficult for

1827-444: Is the lazy susan , a shelf which rotates around a central axis, allowing items stored at the back of the cabinet to be brought to the front by rotating the shelf. These are usually used in corner cabinets, which are larger and deeper and have a greater "dead space" at the back than other cabinets. An alternative to the lazy susan , particularly in base cabinets, is the blind corner cabinet pull out unit. These pull out and turn, making

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1914-402: Is the cabinet door. In contrast, frameless cabinet have no such supporting front face frame, the cabinet doors attach directly to the sides of the cabinet box. The box's side, bottom and top panels are usually 5 ⁄ 8 to 3 ⁄ 4 inch (15 to 20 mm) thick, with the door overlaying all but 1 ⁄ 16 inch (2 mm) of the box edge. Modern cabinetry is often frameless and

2001-402: Is the combination of lighter neutral tones with intense, sharp dark shades such as black, navy blue and jewel tones. The main features of glamour in cabinetry are: This style of design is typified by clean horizontal and vertical lines. Compared to other designs there is a distinct absence of ornamentation. While Scandinavian design is easy to identify, it is much more about the materials than

2088-556: Is the usual term in Europe for detailed inlays in contrasting colours of stones, including many semi-precious types; parchin kari is an Indian term. Pietra dura developed from the Roman opus sectile , which was typically used on a larger scale, especially in floors. Cosmatesque work on walls and floors, and smaller objects, was a medieval intermediate stage, continuing ancient opus alexandrinum. Inlaid artifacts have come down to us from

2175-482: Is typically constructed from man-made sheet materials, such as plywood , chipboard or medium-density fibreboard (MDF). The visible surfaces of these materials are usually clad in a timber veneer , plastic laminate, or other material. They may also be painted. Cabinetry, fundamental usage, ergonomics, and construction of cabinetry found in the kitchen varies geographically. In the United States, cabinetry in

2262-626: The Ancient Mayan civilization, among them, jade, mother of pearl and onyx inlaid into stone during the era that arts reached a peak during the seven centuries from 200 to 900 AD. Vivienne Westwood created her Portrait Collection based on the furniture of André-Charles Boulle. Kaloust Guedel Introduced the inlay technique into contemporary painting as a philosophical concept. Andr%C3%A9-Charles Boulle André-Charles Boulle (11 November 1642 – 29 February 1732), le joailler du meuble (the "furniture jeweller"), became

2349-506: The Edict of Fontainebleau . All Protestant ministers were given two weeks to leave the country unless they converted to Catholicism. Louis XIV ordered the destruction of Huguenot churches , as well as the closure of Protestant schools . This made official the persecution of Protestants already enforced since 1681 and it led to around 400,000 fleeing the country. Jean-Baptiste Lully demonstrates, by his documented actions, that marriage

2436-619: The Louis Seize period. On the rare occasions when a pedigree example comes into the auction room, it invariably commands a high price; but there can be little doubt that the most splendid and sumptuous specimens of Boulle are diminishing in number, while the second and third classes of his work are perhaps becoming more numerous. The truth is that this wonderful work, with its engraved or inlaid designs; its myriads of tiny pieces of ivory and copper, ebony and tortoiseshell, all kept together with glue and tiny chased nails, and applied very often to

2523-575: The Louvre included the painter Louis Du Guernier (1614–1659), the embroiderers Nicolas Boulle and Caillard and the goldsmith Pierre de la Barre. There is virtually nothing on André-Charles Boulle's youth, upbringing or training apart from a solitary Notarial Act dated 19 July 1666 (when he was supposedly 24 years old) agreeing a 5-year apprentice's contract for a 17-year-old nephew, François Delaleau, Master Carpenter from L'Abbaye des Celestins de Marcoussis in Paris. André-Charles Boulle's own apprenticeship

2610-445: The Louvre , leaving many debts for his four sons to deal with and, to whom he had transferred ownership of his business and tenure in the Louvre some seventeen years earlier. Boulle left four sons: Jean-Philippe (1678–1744), Pierre-Benoît (c.1683-1741), André-Charles II (1685–1749) and Charles-Joseph (1688–1754). They were handed over the contents and technology of his workshops as early as 1715. Despite all four sons being granted

2697-663: The NKBA , the height from the counter top surface to the bottom of the upper cabinets should be no less than 15" in clearance. Wall cabinets are manufactured in a variety of heights based on the storage needs and allowable height within the specific kitchen. Common overall heights for wall cabinets are 30", 36" and 42". 30" and 36" is often used with North American ceiling heights of 8' or less. 42" heights are often used with 9' ceilings. These options are typically design based. Cabinet widths for base cabinets normally start at 9", and can be as large as 45". Wall cabinets will typically start at

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2784-480: The Regent , the success of this appeal is unknown. According to Boulle's friend, Pierre-Jean Mariette , many of his pecuniary problems were indeed as a direct result of his obsession for collecting and hoarding pictures, engravings, and other art objects. The inventory of his losses in this fire exceeded 40,000 livres , included many old Masters, not to mention 48 drawings by Raphael , wax models by Michelangelo and

2871-668: The United Kingdom in the middle of the 19th century spurred a market for traditional cabinet making, and other craft goods. It rapidly spread to the United States and to all the countries in the British Empire . This movement exemplified the reaction to the eclectic historicism of the Victorian era and to the 'soulless' machine-made production which was starting to become widespread. During this time, cabinetry

2958-645: The 1780s until his death in 1830. The lavish style and use of exotic materials accorded well with his extravagant taste. However, due to the volume of eighteenth- and nineteenth-century imitations, as well as the fact that Boulle did not sign his work, it can be difficult to definitively credit pieces to the maker. For this reason, many of the Boulle-marquetry pieces in the Royal Collection are recorded as 'attributed to André-Charles Boulle'. There are at least 13 works of art by André-Charles Boulle in

3045-522: The Crown. To be admitted to these galleries signified a mark of special Royal favour and also freed him from the restrictions imposed by the trade guilds . Boulle received the deceased Jean Macé's lodgings on the recommendation of the Minister of Arts, Jean-Baptiste Colbert , who described Boulle as le plus habile ébéniste de Paris . The Royal Decree conferring this privilege describes Boulle variously as

3132-478: The European cabinet system which offers several advantages. First off, in making base cabinets for kitchens, the cabinet sides would be cut to 34½ inches, yielding four cabinet side blanks per 4 foot by 8 foot sheet. Using the adjustable feet, the side blanks are cut to 30 inches, thus yielding six cabinet side per sheet. These feet can be secured to the bottom of the cabinet by having the leg base screwed onto

3219-467: The Grand Dauphin (1661–1711), c. 1680 (vii) Paire de torchère, c. 1700 (viii) Bureau Plat, c. 1710 (The Rubens Room, Windsor Castle) (ix) Petit gaines, attributed to., early 18th century. (Source: Royal Collection ) Cabinet making A cabinet is a case or cupboard with shelves or drawers for storing or displaying items. Some cabinets are stand alone while others are built in to

3306-846: The Hamilton Palace sale; the marquetry commodes, enriched with bronze mounts, formerly in the Bibliothèque Mazarine ; various cabinets and commodes and tables in the Louvre , the Musée de Cluny and the Mobilier National ; the marriage coffers of the dauphin which were in the San Donato collection. There are several fine authenticated pieces in the Wallace Collection at Hertford House in London, together with others consummately imitated, probably in

3393-845: The King at the Grand Trianon can be securely linked to any sort of documentation to confirm provenance. A series of grand armoires in the Louvre Museum and the Wallace Collection are also securely attributed to his workshop. Identification of some of Boulle's works based on the tell-tale refinements of the marquetry and the re-use of marquetry templates and characteristic boldly sculptured gilt-bronze mounts can at times be provenanced from three sets of images of furniture designs engraved by Boulle and published by his friend Pierre-Jean Mariette around 1720; pieces depicted in

3480-405: The King, had been naturalised French in 1676 and lived in the Louvre , by Royal Decree. His grandfather, Pierre Boulle (ca 1595–1649), was naturalised French in 1675, had been cabinetmaker to Louis XIII and had also lived in the Louvre . André-Charles was thus exposed to two generations of illustrious artists, master craftsmen, engravers, cabinetmakers and, indeed, family all directly contracted by

3567-414: The King. As pointed out by the historians M. De Montaiglon and Charles Asselineau, this entourage included his aunt Marguerite Bahusche (on his mother's side) who was a famous painter in her own right, married to another very famous artist, Jacques Bunel de Blois, Henri IV's favourite painter. Others who were appointed by the King and worked with the two preceding generations of Boulles from their ateliers in

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3654-841: The Large Drawing Room of the Wallace Collection in London: Boulle delivered the prototypes for the Mazarin Commode to the Grand Trianon in 1708. Louis Antoine de Pardaillan de Gondrin Director of the King's buildings, wrote to Louis XIV: "I was at the Trianon inspecting the second writing desk by Boulle; it is as beautiful as the other and suits the room perfectly." The design proved to be popular, although criticized for being awkward meaning, particularly because four extra spiral legs that were required to support

3741-734: The Late 18th century and their unfashionable art broken up. More recently, a partial inventory of the Grand Dauphin's decorations at the Palace of Versailles has come to light at the National Archives in Paris. Boulle carried out numerous royal commissions for the " Sun King ", as can be seen from the records of the Bâtiments du Roi and correspondence of the marquis de Louvois . Foreign Princes, French Nobility, government ministers and French financiers flocked to him offering him work, and

3828-491: The Protestant Boulles from Marseille , the Sun King 's Historian needs clarification and Coliès, in his Bibliothèque Choisies confirms a Marseillais relative as being the author of a History of Protestantism, called Essay de l'histoire des Protestants Distingués Par Nation (1646). In the absence of a birth document, three factors play a critical part in the mystery surrounding Boulle's parentage. The first

3915-608: The Royal Collection, including (i)Armoire, c. 1700 (The Grand Corridor, Windsor Castle) (ii) Cabinet (en première-partie), c. 1700 (The Grand Corridor, Windsor Castle) (iii) Cabinet (en contre-partie), c. 1700 (The Grand Corridor, Windsor Castle) (iv)Cabinet, (without stand, similar to ones in the State Hermitage Museum and the collections of the Duke of Buccleuch) (v) Paire de bas d'armoire, (The Grand Corridor, Windsor Castle) (vi) Writing table, possibly delivered to Louis,

4002-577: The Royal protection afforded by his post at the Louvre . In 1704, the king granted him six months' protection from his creditors on condition that Boulle use the time to regulate his affairs or this would be the last grace that His Majesty would do him. Living beyond his means seems to have been a family trait as history repeated itself, twenty years later, when one of his sons was arrested at Fontainebleau and actually imprisoned until King Louis XV had him released. In 1720, Boulle's shaky finances were dealt

4089-446: The appearance more acceptable for residential cabinets. Using these feet, the cabinets need not be shimmed or scribed to the floor for leveling. The toe kick board is attached to the cabinet by means of a clip, which is either screwed onto the back side of the kick board, or a barbed plastic clip is inserted into a saw kerf, also made on the back side of the kick board. This toe kick board can be made to fit each base cabinet, or made to fit

4176-640: The art he perfected, the inlay of tortoiseshell , brass and pewter into ebony . It has become known as Boulle work , and the École Boulle (founded in 1886), a college of fine arts and crafts and applied arts in Paris, continues today to bear testimony to his enduring art, the art of inlay . in 1677, on his marriage certificate, André-Charles Boulle gave his birth date, for posterity, as being 11 November 1642. No other document corroborates this birth in Paris. The historians M. Charles Read, H.-L. Lacordaire and Paulin Richard have determined that his father

4263-403: The attached shelving unit slide into the open area of the cabinet door, thus making the shelves accessible to the user. These units make usable what was once dead space. Other insert hardware includes such items as mixer shelves that pull out of a base cabinet and spring into a locked position at counter height. This hardware aids in lifting these somewhat heavy mixers and assists with positioning

4350-512: The background. This type of inlay is known as " Boulle work ". After learning the skill of smithing from the Navaho in 1872, the Zuni silversmiths cut small chips from crystals and gemstones, pearl shell and coral, to make inlay designs in a base of silver. In 1990, Vivienne Westwood was inspired by Boulle work, the inlay of precious metals into or onto wood to create a collection with inlay in

4437-428: The cabinet bottom. They can also be attached by means of a hole drilled through the cabinet bottom at specific locations. The legs are then attached to the cabinet bottom by a slotted, hollow machine screw. The height of the cabinet can be adjusted from inside the cabinet, simply by inserting a screwdriver into the slot and turning to raise or lower the cabinet. The holes in the cabinet are capped by plastic inserts, making

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4524-626: The cabinet maker is the production of cabinetry. Although the cabinet maker may also be required to produce items that would not be recognized as cabinets, the same skills and techniques apply. A cabinet may be built-in or free-standing. A built-in cabinet is usually custom made for a particular situation and it is fixed into position, on a floor, against a wall, or framed in an opening. For example, modern kitchens are examples of built-in cabinetry. Free-standing cabinets are more commonly available as off-the-shelf items and can be moved from place to place if required. Cabinets may be wall hung or suspended from

4611-412: The ceiling. Cabinet doors may be hinged or sliding and may have mirrors on the inner or outer surface. Cabinets may have a face frame or may be of frameless construction (also known as European or euro-style ). Face frame cabinets have a supporting frame attached to the front of the cabinet box. This face frame is usually 1 + 1 ⁄ 2 inches (4 cm) in width. Mounted on the cabinet frame

4698-434: The collection of a lifetime—gems, medals, drawings, and paintings, which included forty-eight drawings by Raphael." Boulle's output from, at one time, three workshops included commodes, bureaux, armoires, pedestals, clockcases and lighting-fixtures, richly mounted with gilt-bronze that he modelled himself. Despite his skills, his exquisite craftsmen and the high prices he commanded, Boulle was always running out of money. This

4785-611: The collection of prints and paintings, which nearly ruined him… The first payment on record to him by the crown (1669) specifies ouvrages de peinture and Boulle was employed for years on end at the Versailles , where the mirrored walls, floors of wood mosaic, inlaid paneling and marquetry in the Cabinet du Dauphin (1682–1686) came to be regarded by such as Jean-Aimar Piganiol de La Force ( 21 September 1669 – 10 January 1753 ) as his most remarkable work. The rooms were dismantled in

4872-615: The design. This style of design is ornate. French Provincial objects are often stained or painted, leaving the wood concealed. Corners and bevels are often decorated with gold leaf or given some other kind of gilding. Flat surfaces often have artwork such as landscapes painted directly on them. The wood used in French provincial varied, but was often originally beech. This design emphasises both form and materials. Early American chairs and tables are often constructed with turned spindles and chair backs often constructed using steaming to bend

4959-522: The famous words of the abbé de Marolles , Boulle y tourne en ovale became a well established saying in the literature associated with French cabinetmaking. Professor C.R. Williams writes, "There was no limit to the prices a reckless and profligate court was willing to pay for luxurious beauty during the sumptuous, extravagant reign of Louis the Magnificent of France. For much that was most splendid and beautiful in furniture making at this period stands

5046-460: The front, which are mounted with door hardware , and occasionally a lock . Cabinets may have one or more doors, drawers , or shelves . Short cabinets often have a finished surface on top that can be used for display, or as a working surface, such as the countertops found in kitchens. A cabinet intended to be used in a bedroom and with several drawers typically placed one above another in one or more columns intended for clothing and small articles

5133-441: The heir to the throne of France. This distinction, together with his own tastes, led him to copy some of the manners and bearing of his rich customers. He was an aristocrat among furniture makers. He spent the greater part of his large fortune in filling his workshop with works of art. His warehouses were packed with precious woods and finished and unfinished pieces of magnificent furniture. In his own rooms were priceless works of art,

5220-489: The historian to identify which of the many Jean Boulles, Jean Bolles, Johann Bolts or even 'Jean Boulds' on record was André-Charles Boulle's true father. Some of these are of Catholic French origin, some are French Protestants and some are from Gelderland in Holland. The second factor is that André-Charles Boulle's birth date is almost certainly inaccurate. Despite his genius (or perhaps because of it) André-Charles Boulle

5307-497: The kitchen typically consists of upper, or wall cabinets, and base cabinets. Regarding cabinets produced by cabinet manufacturers, base cabinets are sized at a standard 24" deep, front to back, and wall cabinets are typically constructed at a depth of 12" front to back. Standard height of a base cabinet is amongst manufactures is 34.5". According to design guidelines of the National Kitchen & Bath Association, known as

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5394-456: The last half of the 18th century, cabinet makers, such as Thomas Sheraton , Thomas Chippendale , Shaver and Wormley Brothers Cabinet Constructors, and George Hepplewhite , also published books of furniture forms. These books were compendiums of their designs and those of other cabinet makers . The most famous cabinetmaker before the advent of industrial design is probably André-Charles Boulle (11 November 1642 – 29 February 1732) and his legacy

5481-610: The left bank, and was eventually granted a large space of over 500 square meters in an abandoned theatre in the Louvre. (Jean Nérée Ronfort, exhibition catalogue) In addition, the lack of guild control allowed Boulle, who was also trained as a sculptor, to create and cast his own gilt bronze mounts for his furniture. From 1685, he possessed his own foundry, a critical aspect to the originality of his work. Boulle also created objects purely in gilt-bronze such as chandeliers, clocks, firedogs, wall lights among others, which contributed greatly to his fame. 'Pewter or brass inlay on tortoiseshell

5568-413: The manner of Boulle. In 2016, a subsidiary company of Jean-Raymond Boulle discovered and has filed a patent for a new type of diamond inlay in keeping with Boulle work, subsequently produced by AkzoNobel for application on cars, planes and yachts. The natives of Kerma ( c.  2500 BCE  – c.  1500 BCE ) developed techniques for architectural inlays and glazed quartzite. Pietra dura

5655-416: The manuscript journal kept by Rubens in Italy. The compulsive Boulle attended literally every sale of drawings and engravings he could. He borrowed at high interest rates to pay for his purchases until the next auction when he devised other means to gain more cash. His friend Pierre-Jean Mariette informs that it was a compulsion that was impossible to cure. André-Charles Boulle died on 29 February 1732 in

5742-454: The middle of the cabinet. A cabinet usually has at least one compartment. Compartments may be open, as in open shelving; they may be enclosed by one or more doors; or they may contain one or more drawers. Some cabinets contain secret compartments , access to which is generally not obvious. Modern cabinets employ many more complicated means (relative to a simple shelf) of making browsing lower cabinets more efficient and comfortable. One example

5829-479: The most famous French cabinetmaker and the preeminent artist in the field of marquetry , also known as " inlay ". Boulle was "the most remarkable of all French cabinetmakers". Jean-Baptiste Colbert (29 August 1619 – 6 September 1683) recommended him to Louis XIV of France , the " Sun King " ( r.  1643–1715 ), as "the most skilled craftsman in his profession ". Over the centuries since his death, his name and that of his family has become associated with

5916-458: The name of Charles André Boulle. His imagination and skill were given full play, and he proved equal to the demands made upon him.Boulle was a remarkable man. In a court whose only thought was of pleasure and display, he realized that his furniture must not only excel all others in richness, beauty, and cost; it must also be both comfortable and useful. He was appointed cabinet maker to the Dauphin,

6003-526: The pieces he created. Unhappily it is by no means easy, even for the expert, to declare the authenticity of a commode, a bureau, or a table in the manner of Boulle and to all appearance from his workshops. His sons unquestionably carried on the traditions for some years after his death but his imitators were many and capable. A few of the more magnificent pedigree-pieces are among the worlds mobiliary treasures. Rather than having his own internal system of identification or poinçon or mark on each piece, he depended on

6090-425: The pieces. Shaker furniture design is focused on function and symmetry. Because it is so influenced by an egalitarian religious community and tradition it is rooted in the needs of the community versus the creative expression of the designer. Like Early American and Colonial design, Shaker craftsmen often chose fruit woods for their designs. Pieces reflect a very efficient use of materials. The fundamental focus of

6177-539: The records kept by the Bâtiments du Roi . These, did not identify new works with specific entry numbers as they were being produced nor did they keep a detailed daily journal of output. Had Boulle used the royal wardrobe, the Garde-Meuble de la Couronne to identify and record his output, things might have turned out differently. Of his many Royal commissions, only a pair of commodes delivered in 1708 and 1709 to

6264-416: The very prestigious Royal title ébéniste du roi , their financial affairs were as badly managed as those of their father's. Three of the four brothers are known to have died in debt. Boulle's inlay materials included tortoiseshell , brass , pewter and even animal horn. For contrasting woods, he often used rosewood, ebony, kingwood, and other dense, dark-toned tropical species. Boulle's marquetry technique

6351-570: The weight of the bronze and marble. At least five other examples were made by Boulle's workshop, dated between 1710 and 1732, including one now in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Most of the furniture in the British Royal Collection made by, or attributed to, Boulle was acquired by George IV (1762–1830). A Francophile, the king furnished the royal palaces with large quantities of fashionable French furniture from

6438-417: The wood. Wood choices tend to be deciduous hardwoods with a particular emphasis on the wood of edible or fruit-bearing trees such as cherry or walnut. The rustic style of design sometimes called " log furniture " or " log cabin " is the least finished. Design is very utilitarian yet seeks to feature not only the materials used but in, as much as possible, how they existed in their natural state. For example,

6525-504: Was a demonstrably poor administrator and poor with dates and specifically in respect of his age. His children were no different, declaring him to be 90 years old when he died. This is highly unlikely. The third and perhaps most telling factor adding to the overall confusion about Boulle's parentage was that in October 1685 (a mere 8 years after his marriage), Louis XIV renounced the Edict of Nantes and declared Protestantism illegal with

6612-407: Was a propitious time to tidy up provenance. Within the context of the times, it is natural to expect that as well as ensuring his father's Catholic name was recorded for posterity, André-Charles Boulle 'tidied' up his own place and date of birth. This made him older, for motives we do not yet comprehend. There is also the definite possibility, as yet unexplored by historians, that André-Charles Boulle

6699-456: Was born in Holland. It would explain a lot of the confusion around his parentage. The salient fact is that we only have André-Charles Boulle's word that he was born in Paris in 1642. André-Charles Boulle's Protestant family environment was a rich and artistic milieu totally consistent with the genius of the Art he was to produce in later years. His father, Jean Boulle (ca 1616-?), was cabinetmaker to

6786-585: Was called the counterpart, or 'contrapartie'. By sawing both patterns out of one packet and reassembling them on two trays, the background of the 'première partie' becomes the motif of the 'contrapartie'. Boulle made cabinets with both patterns in a single piece, or pairs of contrasting cabinets. Tortoiseshell was used in thin sliced inlays onto wood and is today an important reference with regard to Boulle work . Despite tortoiseshell's rarity and cost, its durability, organic warmth and mottled-red aesthetics made it particularly apt for exotic wood such as ebony. This

6873-499: Was done by various techniques. Henri IV established the privileged status for the artists in 1608 in a lettre patente (royal decree) in which he stated his express purpose of encouraging the flourishing of the arts in France through a sort of cross-pollenisation and co-operation. The inhabitants enjoyed the status for life which freed then from the strict laws of the guild system and granted other legal and fiscal benefits. The system

6960-401: Was known as premier-partie, while tortoiseshell inlay on brass or pewter was contre-partie. For an even more sumptuous effect, mother-of-pearl, stained horn and dyed tortoiseshell would be included in the design.' André-Charles Boulle kept no accurate records of his prodigious output. The identification of furniture produced by Boulle's workshop is greatly hampered by a lack of documentation of

7047-476: Was mostly as a direct result of his lifelong obsession as a collector and hoarder of works of art. Although he undoubtedly drew inspiration for his own works from these purchases, it meant he did not always pay his workmen regularly. In addition, clients who had made considerable advances failed to obtain the pieces they had ordered and, on more than one occasion. These dissatisfied clients made formal attempts to get Royal permission to arrest him for his debts, despite

7134-540: Was said to be one of the most noble and admirable skills by nearly one fourth of the population of the United Kingdom, and 31% of those who believed this strived for their children to learn the art of cabinetry. After World War II woodworking became a popular hobby among the middle classes. The more serious and skilled amateurs in this field now turn out pieces of furniture which rival the work of professional cabinet makers. Together, their work now represents but

7221-465: Was sophisticated and accomplished in ancient China as shown in examples of vessels decorated with precious metals, including this ding vessel (pictured) with gold and silver inlay from the Warring States period (403-221 BC). The French cabinet maker André-Charles Boulle (1642-1732) specialized in furniture using inlays or metal and either wood or tortoiseshell together, the latter acting as

7308-488: Was the Protestant Jan (or Jean/Johann) Bolt (or Bolte/Boul/ Bolle ) but at his own (Catholic) marriage, André-Charles Boulle named his father as "Jean Boulle". André-Charles Boulle's marriage at Saint Sulpice and burial in 1732 at Saint-Germain-l'Auxerrois are but two of many lifetime inconsistencies with his Protestant 'provenance', most easily explained by the ongoing persecution of Protestants. His parentage with

7395-416: Was therefore most likely to have occurred within the focused confines of his father's atelier at the Louvre . Here, in any event, he was closest to the Sun King and to Jean-Baptiste Colbert who discovered him. In 1672, by the age of 30, Boulle had already been granted lodgings in the galleries of the Louvre which Louis XIV had set apart for the use of the most favoured among the artists employed by

7482-438: Was to make two contrasting sheets of intricate inlay that were cut from a single sandwich of materials. If the sandwich, or packet, contained two layers that were light and dark, the two finalproducts would be a sheet with a light pattern on a dark background, and a reversed sheet, with a dark pattern on a light background. One sheet would have been considered the primary pattern, in French the 'première partie'. The opposite pattern

7569-528: Was very important to André Charles Boulle who was granted the prestige of a workshop in 1672, the same year he was named ébéniste, ciseleur, doreur du roi (cabinet maker, chaser, gilder to the King) by Marie-Thérèse d'Autriche (1638–1683), Louis XIV 's wife and Queen. The space was too small for a furniture production workshop of any scale, so basically served as a calling card or prestigious address for Boulle who still possessed his family workshop on Rue de Reims on

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