Louis XV Period Chinese Lacquer Secretary Stamped Dubois

A secretary in Chinese lacquer and Martin varnish from the Louis XV period. it rests on four curved legs ending in chiseled and gilded bronze hooves. it opens at the top with a flap trimmed with gilded fawn leather with small irons and revealing a theater made up of four drawers fitted with small pull handles in chiseled and gilded bronze and four lockers. In the lower part, it opens with two doors onto a red lacquered interior consisting of a trunk and two lockers. it is topped with a scrolled Aleppo breccia marble with bec de corbin. The black background lacquer is decorated on the front and sides with Chinese characters, animals and pagodas in a lake setting. Very rich ornamentation of finely chiseled and gilded bronzes composed of frames on the sides, the flap and the doors, falls, astragals, keyholes, an apron in the lower part in the center and sabots. It is stamped Jacques DUBOIS, one of the greatest cabinetmakers under Louis XV, famous for his production of Chinese lacquer furniture as well as his use of sumptuous rocaille bronzes. Jacques DUBOIS (1693-1763) received Master in 1742