Jean Demoulin (1715-1798) : Louis XVI Period Walnut Secretary Desk with Castel and Mill Marquetry
This walnut secretary desk embodies the excellence of 18th-century French cabinetmaking. Crafted with veneers of boxwood, amaranth, plum, and stained sycamore, it features a refined marquetry decor depicting a landscape of castles and mills, along with a duck pond in a medallion framed by fillets and small checkerboards. The lower section is adorned with various floral bouquets, such as tulips, daisies, and roses, also framed by fillets and small checkerboards. The entire piece is enhanced by marquetry of false fluting and fillets.
The blackened walnut top is surmounted by an upper section with four drawers in two rows. The central fall-front, covered in black leather with gilt decoration, reveals a fitted interior with shelves and six small drawers. The lower section opens with two doors.
This secretary, circa 1785, is a fine example of French craftsmanship from the Louis XVI period, with attribution resulting from an exhaustive study of the works of cabinetmaker Jean Demoulin in Dijon.
Dimensions:
Height: 60.2 inches.
Length: 37.4 inches.
Depth: 15.7 inches.
Our secretary is in good condition, having undergone restoration and French polishing in our workshops. The leather has been replaced.
Biography:
Jean Demoulin (August 13, 1715 - July 2, 1798) was the cabinetmaker to the Prince of Condé. Born in Selongey, Côte d'Or, he apprenticed in Dijon before moving to Paris around 1749, where he earned his master's credentials. He later returned to Dijon to establish his workshop. Along with his sons Jean-Baptiste and Bertrand, he received the patent as cabinetmakers to the Prince of Condé, Governor of Burgundy, on September 22, 1781, and practiced until 1788. Notable works include a Louis XV commode adorned with Coromandel lacquer and a large commode with polychrome decoration in the Chinese taste, currently at the Musée de Tours.
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