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Work and writing table (table en chiffonière)

ca. 1760
On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 547
The table en chiffonière is a type of furniture that appeared in France around 1750, as patrons sought to combine a sense of elegance and comfort in their daily furnishings. The top is decorated in floral marquetry of veneered tulipwood and end-cut kingwood, and is hinged at the back, opening to three compartments inside. This kind of table typically included drawers that could be used to hold papers, jewelry, and chiffons or cloth, hence the table’s name. Although van Risenburgh produced a quantity of these small yet functional pieces (similar models can be seen in the Wrightsman collection at the museum—see 1984.471.1 and 1977.102.7), the care he took in making each table is visible in the careful coordination of shaped veneer panels with foliate gilt-bronze mounts, which both embellish and protect the veneer at the corners, legs, and feet of the table. The gilt-bronze moulding around the top has been carefully smoothed at the front side of the top to allow the individual user to dash off small notes with comfort and ease.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Work and writing table (table en chiffonière)
  • Maker: Bernard II van Risenburgh (ca. 1696–ca. 1767)
  • Date: ca. 1760
  • Culture: French
  • Medium: Oak and beech veneered with tulipwood and purplewood; gilt bronze, blue moiré silk
  • Dimensions: 27 x 13-3/4 x 10-5/8 in. (68.6 x 34.9 x 27.0 cm)
  • Classification: Woodwork-Furniture
  • Credit Line: Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Wrightsman, 1984
  • Object Number: 1984.471.2
  • Curatorial Department: European Sculpture and Decorative Arts

More Artwork

More Artwork
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Work and writing table, Bernard II van Risenburgh, Oak, tulipwood, root-cut kingwood, gilt bronze and silvered metal, French, Paris
Work and writing table
Bernard II van Risenburgh
ca. 1755–60
Work and writing table (table en chiffonière), Bernard II van Risenburgh, Oak and pine veneered with tulipwood, kingwood, purplewood and satiné, gilt bronze, silvered metal, French
Work and writing table (table en chiffonière)
Bernard II van Risenburgh
ca. 1760
Rectangular table, Bernard II van Risenburgh, Tulipwood, purplewood and kingwood, gilt bronze, leather, brass, French, Paris
Rectangular table
Bernard II van Risenburgh
ca. 1765
Small rectangular table, Bernard II van Risenburgh, Oak and pine substrate; tulipwood, purplewood, brass and silk (not original), French, Paris
Small rectangular table
Bernard II van Risenburgh
ca. 1765
Writing table (bureau plat), Bernard II van Risenburgh, Veneered on oak with ebony; mounts of chased and gilded bronze; top inlaid with later panels of black morocco and gilt-tooled leather, French
Writing table (bureau plat)
Bernard II van Risenburgh
ca. 1745–50

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