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Joseph Baumhauer (cabinetmaker) German, active c. 1749 - 1772 Chest of Drawers (commode), probably between 1767 and 1772 but possibly a decade earlier oak veneered with tulip-wood, kingwood, casuarina, and purple-wood; gilded bronze mounts; breccia marble top overall: 84 x 124.5 x 57 cm (33 1/16 x 49 x 22 7/16 in.) Widener Collection 1942.9.412 |
Object 3 of 5
This chest of drawers with bombé (convex) surfaces veneered in floral sprays has gilt-bronze mounts of fanciful foliage, which cunningly disguise the upper and lower drawer handles.
The oak body is stamped with the name "Joseph," the mark of a cabinetmaker of German birth, Joseph Baumhauer. He may have used his first name to escape prejudices in Paris against foreign-born craftsmen. Joseph was among the most prolific and versatile of rococo cabinetmakers. His studio held eight workbenches, suggesting he employed at least that many assistants.
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