A MALLORCAN BRONZED AND PARCEL-GILT MAHOGANY COMMODE

This marble-topped and 'bronze' enriched commode is conceived in the French 'Empire' style promoted by C. Percier and P. Fontaine's 'Recueil de Décorations Intérieures', of 1801. This antique style was promoted in Spain by King Carlos IV (1788-1808), whose study at the Casa del Labrador, Aranjuez was illustrated in Percier and Fontaine's 'Recueil'. This form of commode, described as a 'Commode antique, en acajou, ornemans en Or et Bronze' was illustrated in Pierre de La Mesangère's 'Collection de Meubles et Objets de Gout', 1802, pl.10.

A commode of related design, attributed to the circle of the Mallorcan sculptor and designer Adrian Ferárn, is illustrated in J. Massot, 'Ramis d'Ayreflor', El Moble a les Illes Balears Segles XIII-XIX, Barcelona, 1995, p. 191, whilst a further pair, originally supplied to the Palacio de Truyols, Palma de Mallorca, was sold from the Castillo de Bendinat, Mallorca, Christie's House Sale, 24 May 1999, lot 197.