Aubertin Gaudron (?–1684) - Lot 38

Aubertin Gaudron (?–1684) Mazarin desk decorated with floral marquetry in boxwood, yew, holly, sycamore, tulip tree, amaranth, and walnut, set against an ebony background. The top, framed by a molded molding, features three vases filled with large bouquets, including a central one resting on an entablature adorned with a lambrequin and two side vases supported by feathered masks. They are set within a large border composed of volutes and foliage scrolls with acanthus leaves, enlivened by sphinxes, figures, birds, and butterflies. The sides are decorated in a similar manner. The front features two side cabinets, each with three stacked drawers and a central drawer, with walnut inlays decorated with clasp motifs, acanthus leaves, and flowering and leafy stems. The central section opens with a door panel embellished with a vase of flowers on a base adorned with a shell, flanked by figures and birds. The upright posts rest on eight sheathed legs joined by two H-shaped struts, connected by a crossbar. The entire piece is embellished with cascading garlands, flowering stems, acanthus leaves, and foliage. Gilded bronze trim: lock plates, lock plates with mascarons, capitals, and bases. Paris. Louis XIV period. Circa 1675–1680 H_ 80 cm W_ 114 cm D_ 64 cm Standard restorations. Locksmith work on the rear section Aubertin Gaudron A contemporary of André-Charles Boulle and creator of similar marquetry pieces, Aubertin Gaudron, a master cabinetmaker active from around 1641, was intrinsically linked to Boulle in the field of marquetry furniture. Both drew inspiration from rich Dutch floral motifs. Designed in the “antique” style of Louis XIV, the marquetry panels on this Mazarin desk draw inspiration from the work of Jean-Baptiste Monnoyer (d. 1699) and are closely related to the engravings published by Gabriel Androuet Du Cerceau, who was appointed designer to Louis XIV around 1690 (preserved at the National Museum in Stockholm (P. Fuhring, “Late Seventeenth and Early Eighteenth-Century Furniture Designs for Upholstered Furniture,” Furniture History Society Journal, Leeds, 1989, pp. 42–60). The same decorative motifs—featuring patterned wood and multiple colors—appear against ebony backgrounds, with a vase filled with flowers at the center, resting on a table end; grotesque masks below; and the remainder filled with foliage, flowers, birds, and butterflies rendered in naturalistic style. Gaudron was widely employed by the King, the Dauphin, and the Dauphine, most likely by Philippe, Duke of Orléans, brother of Louis XIV, and was also a frequent visitor to the Court. A number of desks of this form, characterized by their distinctive marquetry decoration, are mentioned in inventories from the late 17th and 18th centuries. The first—“A marquetry desk with natural flower motifs, covered in black velvet, with a paper clip and the base, all featuring natural flowers; the base and desk fitted with several drawers, 120 livres” was listed in 1721 in the residence of Minister Desmaretz de Maillebois under Louis XIV. The second, “a large antique desk made of mixed woods with several drawers, resting on eight legs and crossbars of the same wood, weighing 12 livres,” is listed in the 1761 inventory of the estate of Marshal de Belle Isle, grandson of Superintendent Fouquet. In addition to the Balfour desk and the Stockholm desk, other related desks of this distinctive type are documented: - one was sold anonymously at Christie’s London on June 25, 1988, lot 108; another was sold anonymously at Sotheby’s Monaco on March 4, 1989, lot 274; and a final example was exhibited in *Louis XIV: Splendor and Decoration*, Paris, 1960, Exhibition Catalog, p. xxxi, formerly in the collection of Jacques Helft Fruitwood marquetry In vogue from around 1660, fruitwood marquetry—influenced by Flemish artists and the work of the painter Jean-Baptiste Monnoyer—gradually became the most important decorative style used on furniture during the 17th century. The pioneers of this pictorial art included André-Charles Boulle, Aubertin and Renaud Gaudron, Pierre Golle, and Léonard van der Vinne in Florence. Aubertin Gaudron used fruitwood marquetry for most of his career. Comparative Works: Mazarin Desk *Christie’s Paris Auction. November 22, 2025. Lot 24 *De Baeque & Associés auction. Marseille. October 26, 2022. Lot 82 *Christie’s London auction. June 13, 2002. Lot 120 Mazarin