Boulle Furniture

Exceptional rectangular wall-height cabinet; in ebony veneer inlaid with brass stringing in reserve.
Rich gilt bronze ornamentation. Attributed to the workshop of Mathieu Béfort.

Napoleon III period; A high-quality French piece, circa 1860-1870.

Mathieu Béfort, known as Béfort Jeune (1813-1880), was a descendant of a famous Parisian family of cabinetmakers. From 1840 to 1880, his workshop flourished on Rue Neuve Saint-Gilles, producing high-quality furniture by this marquetry cabinetmaker who drew inspiration from Boulle furniture and Louis XIV period designs.

This piece is part of the reinterpretation of the Louis XIV style, particularly the creations of Adam Weisweiler. In this console-height cabinet , Béfort Jeune reproduces the composition of Socrates conversing with Aspasia, which Charles Boulle created around 1700 for a large pair of wardrobes now in the Louvre Museum in Paris.

Dimensions:
Height 117 cm, Width 99 cm, Depth 43 cm