VANDERCRUSE, Roger
(b. 1728, Paris, d. 1799, Paris)

Cabinet

c. 1765
Oak and fir veneered with tulipwood, amaranth, and holly; gilt-bronze mounts; white marble interior shelf, 94 x 59 x44 cm
J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles

Numerous new types of furniture appeared in France in the 1700s with varied and specialized functions. This bedside cabinet was decorated on all four sides so that it could be placed wherever it was needed in the room. The tambour door at the top slides back, revealing a marble lined shelf that would have been used to hold a chamber pot. The doors below conceal two sets of drawers. At the right side is a drawer that once contained writing materials: a gilt bronze inkpot, a pot for sand, and a sponge box.




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