Mahogany Secretary Directoire Period Stamped Louis Moreau

French work, Secretary Directoire period all in mahogany and gilded bronze, upper part opening a large drawer. Flap underneath with original fawn-colored leather opening onto an interior composed of drawers and locker. Lower part opening has two doors on an interior with a large drawer, fitted with large gilt bronze lion pate. High quality furniture stamped on the rear uprights by the famous cabinetmaker Louis Moreau (1740-1791) Having undergone no entirely period restorations, has these original keys and lock. MOREAU Louis Louis Moreau (1740-1791) Cabinetmaker-sculptor. Paris. Master on September 27, 1764. He employed skilled workers such as cabinetmakers Bircklé, Foullet, Topino, founders Guinaud and Cottin and gilders Prégermain and Fagard. After obtaining his master's degrees in 1764, Louis Moreau, bought, rue de l'Echelle -Saint-Honoré "At the descent of the Tuileries", the shop of his colleague cabinetmaker, Denis Genty, which has just gone bankrupt. With his furniture, in mahogany veneer, with floral decorations and ornaments of gilded and chiseled bronzes and with his very diverse inlays with geometric patterns of Chinese lacquer or varnish, he quickly acquired great notoriety and a renowned clientele. He also works for the Court, which, through the administration of Menus Pleasures, places numerous orders with him. Louis XV, Transition and Louis XVI style, its products are very varied as evidenced by a label found on one of its pieces of furniture: "made and kept Store: Secretaries, Cabinets, Chests of drawers, Libraries, Cylinder desks, Play tables , English mahogany tables and all that relates to Carpentry and Cabinetmaking in Paris "However Louis Moreau made work other craftsmen and often made only part of the furniture he sold, which makes it possible that some works signed with his stamp were not executed by him. Involved fairly early in politics, Louis Moreau was deported to the island of Anjouan where he died in 1802. His wife and then his son Louis took over his store which they kept until the end of the Empire. MUSEUMS Bonheur-du-jour Louis XVI - Carnavalet Museum - Paris Transition commode with double projection inlaid with geometric patterns - Metropolitan Museum - New York BIBLIOGRAPHY The French Furniture of the XVIIIth Century - Pierre Kjellberg - Les Editions de l'Amateur - 2008 The cabinetmakers of the 18th century - Count François de Salverte - Editions of Art and History - 1934