Pair of Transitional Period Encoignures, Rosewood Inlaid, Stamped Leleu

Rare pair of rosewood inlaid corners with butterfly wings and amaranth in frames. Each corner rests on three inlaid sheath feet. The crossbow-shaped front opens with two lockable doors, revealing a shelf. The uprights, imitating pilasters, are inlaid with motifs simulating broad fluting. The jambs are topped by gilded and chased bronze foliage motifs. The corners are trimmed with gilded bronzes, also for the lock escutcheons, astragals and sabots.
Stamped Jean-François Leleu (received master in 1764).
Transition period
Restoration
H. 88 x W. 74 x D. 53 cm

The pair of corner cabinets we are presenting today is stamped by Jean-François Leleu. Both in the May 1962 issue of Connaissance des Arts, dedicated to the cabinetmaker, and in "Le mobilier français du XVIIIe siècle", published in 1989, Pierre Kjellberg was full of praise for him: "He is one of the most talented masters of his time", "Leleu, the greatest French cabinetmaker under Louis XVI".

Jean-François Leleu (1729-1807) began his apprenticeship in the Faubourg Saint Antoine, before joining the workshops of Jean-François Oeben (based at the Arsenal) as a journeyman. At this renowned cabinetmaker's, he met the man who was to become his greatest competitor: Jean-Henri Riesener, also a journeyman. In 1763, Oeben died, and his succession became a major issue for the person who would take over from him. Riesener won: he took over the workshop, delivered Louis XV's famous desk, became the official supplier to the Crown and even married Oeben's widow, Françoise Marguerite Vandercruse. Leleu was obliged to obtain his master's degree and open his own workshop in 1764. He decided to set up first Chaussée de la Contrescarpe (near the Bastille and Arsenal), then rue Royale (near Place des Vosges).
Although he had lost his battle with Riesener, Jean-François Leleu was not close to Oeben without reason: his success was immediate and his reputation continued to grow. He received numerous orders from Madame du Barry and was the main supplier to the famous Prince de Condé. We know that his clientele was prestigious and wealthy, but the Garde-Meuble does not seem to have called on him. We don't know precisely when he stopped working, but his son-in-law, Charles Antoine Stadler, became his partner in 1780.

As you can imagine, Leleu's work was highly sought-after and appreciated in the 18th century: "All are characterized by impeccable craftsmanship and particularly selected materials". What are the elements that make these works so exceptional, as described by Pierre Kjellberg?

Today, many of his pieces can be found in museums or in the finest private collections. A veritable style is emerging around his work. These singularities allow us, among other things, to affirm with certainty Leleu's attribution to these corner pieces (confirming that indicated by the stamp). In fact, he was particularly fond of "robust", "masculine" shapes, highly architectural, always well-balanced and giving an impression of solidity. One of the elements of the "Leleu style" are pilasters with wide simulated flutes, as on our pair of corner pieces, or inlaid with copper. This architectural aspect can also be reinforced by the legs: we see them round or square, of course always massive and often featuring the impressive fluted motif (as can be seen on the legs of the corner pieces).

We also note that the decorations are generally inscribed in a reserve made from a darker wood than the general decor. The inlays are geometric and elegantly simple: the lines are the main decoration, while the inlay patterns or bronzes are there to highlight the furniture's structural composition. These large panels of veneer cover the furniture, but certain details clearly show that this simplicity is not "so simple". In fact, the offsets in the corners of these panels (as on the corners of our study) or the butterfly-wing marquetry, respecting perfect symmetry, are all elements regularly used by Leleu.
Finally, bronzes also have a role and a well-defined place in the cabinetmaker's work. They are not overly exuberant, but are there to emphasize the lines and monumentality of the furniture, as evidenced by the baguette on the lower part of our corner pieces.
His competitor, Riesener, also appreciates highly architectural constructions, but unlike Riesener, Leleu's general sobriety and the importance he places on the lines of his furniture are not as strong.

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