France, late 17th Century / c. 1690
Side Drawer for Cabinet
The Cleveland Museum of Art catalogs Side Drawer for Cabinet as furniture and woodwork (France, late 17th Century · c. 1690).
Originally designed to sit atop an elaborate tall stand, this chest was likely altered in the late 1700s to reduce its scale and height.
A CLOSER LOOK
The museum identifies this furniture and woodwork as ebony, marquetry in metal and tortoise shell and credits André-Charles Boulle (French, 1642–1732).
The museum's collection notes: Appointed cabinetmaker to King Louis XIV in 1672, André-Charles Boulle became a master of furniture making in France during the late 1600s until his death in 1732. Known primarily for his use of marquetry, in which metal patterns are inlaid into tortoiseshell then applied within the veneered surface of the furniture, Boulle established a level of quality and craftsmanship few others could achieve. As a result, his work found favor at the royal court and among other aristocrats and diplomats eager to impress the king. The inclusion of a medallion depicting Louis XIV within the bronze decoration of this chest would have identified the owner wit
FOLLOW THE EVIDENCE
The Cleveland Museum of ArtSide Drawer for CabinetOriginal explanation based on the sources above. Images carry their own reuse terms.