Ormolu from pieces made by Parisian ébéniste Guillaume Beneman who made furniture for the king. Born in 1750, he died after 1811.

Secrétaire à Abattant (upper front detail). ca. 1800-1810.
Secrétaire à Abattant (upper front detail). ca. 1800-1810. French. Brass/gilded bronze. Image © Museum of the Rhode Island School of Design, Providence. Fair use license. via https://risdmuseum.org/art-design/collection/drop-front-secretary-secretaire-abattant-80106?return=%2Fart-design%2Fcollection
Secrétaire à Abattant (sphinx detail). ca. 1800-1810.
Secrétaire à Abattant (sphinx detail). ca. 1800-1810. French. Brass/gilded bronze. Image © Museum of the Rhode Island School of Design, Providence. Fair use license. via https://risdmuseum.org/art-design/collection/drop-front-secretary-secretaire-abattant-80106?return=%2Fart-design%2Fcollection
"Secrétaire Abattant" (front detail). 1787.
“Secrétaire Abattant” (front detail). 1787. Gilt-bronze. Collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. Cc0 License 1.0. via https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Beneman_Guillaume_secr%C3%A9taire_abattant_MET5.jpg
"Secrétaire Abattant" (caryatid detail). 1787.
“Secrétaire Abattant” (caryatid detail). 1787. Gilt-bronze. Collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. Cc0 License 1.0. via https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Beneman_Guillaume_secr%C3%A9taire_abattant_MET5.jpg

Leave a Reply