Writing Desk with Raised Back

Jean-Henri Riesener, c. 1775

This type of writing desk, also known as a bonheurdu-jour (French: ‘happiness of the day’), was greatly favoured by women in the 18th century. Behind the tambour-fronted doors there is ample space for storing letters, papers, money, jewellery, and other valuables.<br>

Artwork typefurniture, table, bonheur-du-jour
Object numberBK-16667
Dimensionswidth 95 cm x depth 44.5 cm, height 110 cm x width 99 cm x depth 48.5 cm
Physical characteristicseikenhout, belijmd met esdoornhout en andere houtsoorten, verguld brons, brèche tarentaise marmer

Identification

Title(s)
Writing Desk with Raised Back
Object type
Object number
BK-16667
Description
Tafel met opzet versierd met marqueterie in meerdere houtsoorten op eikenhouten kern en met verguld brons. De voorpoten zijn overhoeks geplaatst. Het verbindingsblad tussen de poten, de voorregel, het dekblad en opzetstuk zijn, binnen drie velden, in het midden versierd met rozentakken en aan weerszijden met rozetten en ruiten. Alleen het middenpaneel van het opzetstuk met twee jalouziedeuren vertoont ondermeer een lier, boeken en inktkoker. Marmeren blad met galerij; vele verguld bronzen omlijstingen.
Inscriptions / marks
- inscription: ‘251’
- signature: ‘J.H.RIESENER’

Creation

Creation
furniture worker: Jean-Henri Riesener, France
Dating
c. 1775
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Material and technique

Physical description
eikenhout, belijmd met esdoornhout en andere houtsoorten, verguld brons, brèche tarentaise marmer
Dimensions
- width 95 cm x depth 44.5 cm
- height 110 cm x width 99 cm x depth 48.5 cm

This work is about

Subject

Acquisition and rights

Copyright
Public domain
Provenance
…; collection Maximilian Benedikt Hayum Freiherr von Goldschmidt-Rothschild (1843-1940), Frankfurt am Main, 1927, 1931;{Feulner 1927, p. 477; Feulner 1931a, pp. 490-491.} …; collection Dr Fritz Mannheimer (1890-1939), Amsterdam and Paris, 1936;{Von Falke 1936, p. 338, no. Mo.57.} purchased from his estate, en bloc, by the Dienststelle Mühlmann, The Hague, for Adolf Hitler's Führermuseum, Linz, 1940;{Korthals Altes 1974, pp. 21-22.} war recuperation, SNK, 1945;{HNA, SNK Archive, 2.08.42, inv. no. 548.} on loan, with 1,702 other objects, from the DRVK to the museum, 1952;{Note RMA.} transferred to the museum, 1960
Remarks
Please note that this provenance was formulated with a special focus on provenance research for the years 1933-45 and could therefore be incomplete. There may be more (mostly earlier) provenance information known in the museum. In case this item has an uncertain or incomplete provenance for the years 1933-45, the Rijksmuseum welcomes information and assistance in the investigation and clarification of the provenance of all works during that era.

Documentation

Adolf Feulner, 'Französische Möbel in Deutschland', Pantheon 8 (1931), p. 490-491, afb.

Persistent URL

To refer to this object, please use the following persistent URL:
https://id.rijksmuseum.nl/200318648