This desk and its pair were supplied in 1685 for use by Louis XIV in his study, or petit cabinet, in the north wing of the château de Versailles. The form is called a bureau brisé, literally a "broken desk," because the hinged front half of the flat top can be folded back, or "broken," to reveal a narrow writing surface. The elaborate decoration on top includes the king's crowned monogram of interlaced L's beneath a radiant sun symbol engraved with a now indistinct Apollo mask.
Additional Views (6)
Small desk with folding top (bureau brisé)
Maker: Marquetry by Alexandre-Jean Oppenordt (Dutch, 1639–1715, active France)
Designer: Designed and possibly engraved by Jean Berain (French, Saint-Mihiel 1640–1711 Paris) (1638/9-1711)
Date: ca. 1685
Culture: French, Paris
Medium: Oak, pine, walnut veneered with ebony, rosewood, and marquetry of tortoiseshell and engraved brass; gilt bronze and steel
Dimensions: 30 5/16 x 41 3/4 x 23 3/8 in. (77 x 106 x 59.4cm)
Classification: Woodwork-Furniture
Credit Line: Gift of Mrs. Charles Wrightsman, 1986
Accession Number: 1986.365.3
Description
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Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History