A FRENCH ORMOLU-MOUNTED KINGWOOD, BOIS SATINE AND MARQUETRY BUREAU PLAT

This sumptuous bureau plat is a tour de force of Rococo-inspired splendour and simultaneously celebrates the combined genius of Joseph-Emmanuel Zwiener's superior craftsmanship with Léon Messagé's Art Nouveau-infused designs. Here Messagé embraces the asymmetry characterized by Rococo designers such as J.A. Meissonnier by creating sinuous lines and dramatic encadrements. The exceptional quality of Zwiener's craftsmanship and extensive usage of fine gilt-bronze invites comparisons to the work of famed ébéniste, François Linke (1855-1946). Zwiener almost certainly employed Linke, who was six years younger and a fellow German-speaker. Both cabinetmakers used mounts by the gifted sculptor, Léon Messagé, whose studio on the rue Sedaine was in close proximity to the Zwiener workshops and Linke's at 170, rue du Faubourg Saint-Antoine. It is likely that Zwiener introduced Linke to Messagé's work. Compare another bureau of this model, with identical busts to the corner but more plainly mounted to the frieze, sold Sotheby’s, New York, 13-14 April 2016, lot 648 ($43,750).