A tour-de-force glazed boxwood cabinet celebrating the art of woodcarving, the monumental vitrine of slight breakfront proportions, with rounded corners, all surfaces carved with the most exquisite designs and refined detail with ormolu banding, the base of tripartite design, the central cupboard door with a carved roundel depicting a triumphant muse, flanked by two doors with carved musical trophies enclosing a single adjustable-shelved interior, the frieze incorporating a further three drawers with slides above; the superstructure with three glazed casements separated by carved and fluted pilasters with Ionic capitals; enclosing a red velvet-
Maison Guéret (Paris)
An Important Napoleon III Exhibition-Quality
Ormolu-Mounted Carved Cabinet
Boxwood, Gilt Brass, Glass
H: 120 in / 304 cm
W: 61 in / 155 cm
D: 19.5 in / 49 cm
lined and shelved interior; the tripartite pediment each with rounded cornices, the central tympanum carved with laurel leaves and instruments of the arts & wisdom topped with a carved finial and a draped lambrequin below, the flanking entablatures with cartouches depicting Bacchus and Ariadne below urn finials with carved Vitruvian scrolls and ribbon-tied cascading bunches of laurel leaves, the symbol of triumph. Signed on the cartouche “Guéret Frères / Paris” and bearing the maker’s stamp twice “Guéret Fres Paris 246 rue de Lafayette.” French, Circa 1870
Figure 1 Guéret Frères, Carved Cabinet Presented at the 1867 Exposition Universelle.
“a work of refined beauty in design, and exquisitely carved”1
Guéret was awarded the Légion d’honneur at the 1867 exhibition, where the firm exhibited an award winning carved display cabinet in an eclectic style (fig. 1) which bears distinct similarities to the present vitrine. Excelling in the art of carved furniture, the firm was awarded the gold medal for their craftsmanship. Napoleon III, Emperor of France, was so impressed he acquired a carved barometer (fig. 2).
An important commission for M. Bryce completed prior to 1876
1 The Illustrated Catalogue of the Universal Exhibition [1867]: Published with the Art-Journal. London: Virtue and Co, 1868, in reference to Napoleon’s Barometer.
included a bureau-vitrine in the same style (fig. 3), while the inventory of his home at 4 avenue Gabriel in Paris also records “une bibliothèque de style
Guéret Frères of Paris
The Messrs Guéret furniture manufactory was founded by Denis Desiré (born in 1828) and Onésimus (born 1830) in 1853 at 7 rue Buffault in Paris trading as “Guéret
Subsequently trading from 5 Bvd. de la Madeleine in 1863, and thence transferring to 246 Rue Lafayette in 1870. From 1877, the company’s titl became “Guéret Jeune et Cie” and its activity continued until 1900.
The atelier’s success
distinguished exhibitions London (first class m Paris (gold medal in 1867), Vienna (Grand Diploma in 1873, fig. Amsterdam (Diploma in 1883) resulted in widespread fame and success. As a result, Guére
became the major supplier for boiserie carved panels in Gilded Age America.
A carved mantelpiece inspired by Fourdinois’ famous Great Exhibition cabinet was commissioned from Guéret for Thurlow Lodge (fig. 6), undoubtedly the grandest estate in California built by Milton S Latham (1826-1883), railroad tycoon.
Examples of their work may be seen in the Musée Condé, Chantilly, Musée d'Orsay, San Francisco Museum of Fine Art and the Victorian & Albert Museum, London
