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Lot Essay
This elegant bureau plat, with its sober lines and understated gilt bronze ornaments, epitomises the restrained neoclassical style for which Jean-François Leleu was an early proponent.
Although slightly later in date, the present lot relates to a bureau plat supplied in 1772 by Leleu (maître in 1764) for the prince de Condé at the Palais Bourbon (discussed in A Pradere, French Furniture Makers, Paris, 1989, p.335). It is virtually identical to a stamped example, similarly executed circa 1772 by the celebrated ébéniste and illustrated Ibid. fig. 390. The latter bureau features the same idiosyncratic double leaf chutes to the angles and fluted legs with waisted foliate feet, as featured on the present example.
A further related bureau, of similar outline and featuring the same fluted tapering legs and foliate-wrapped feet, was formerly in Mr. and Mrs Deane Johnson, until sold Christie's New York, 23 October 1998, lot 176, and again Christie's, London, 13 June 2002, lot 250 (£182,650 with premium).
Jean-François Leleu was one of the favoured assistants in the workshop of the great ébéniste Jean-François Oeben (1721-1763). After the early death of his master, he hoped to be entrusted with the running of the workshop, but was superseded by Jean-Henri Riesener (1734-1806), another of Oeben's assistants. Riesener married Oeben's widow and went on to become the court ébéniste of King Louis XVI and Queen Marie-Antoinette. Leleu left the workshop, became maître-ébéniste in 1764 and set up on his own. He attracted a grand and fastidious clientèle, notably the Duc d'Uzès, Baron d'Ivry, Ange-Laurent Lalive de Jully and the Prince de Condé to whom he delivered several sumptuous and celebrated pieces of furniture for the Palais Bourbon and the château at Chantilly in 1772 and 1773 (see Svend Eriksen, Early neo-classicism in France, London 1974, pp. 79-81, figs. 127-130.
Although slightly later in date, the present lot relates to a bureau plat supplied in 1772 by Leleu (maître in 1764) for the prince de Condé at the Palais Bourbon (discussed in A Pradere, French Furniture Makers, Paris, 1989, p.335). It is virtually identical to a stamped example, similarly executed circa 1772 by the celebrated ébéniste and illustrated Ibid. fig. 390. The latter bureau features the same idiosyncratic double leaf chutes to the angles and fluted legs with waisted foliate feet, as featured on the present example.
A further related bureau, of similar outline and featuring the same fluted tapering legs and foliate-wrapped feet, was formerly in Mr. and Mrs Deane Johnson, until sold Christie's New York, 23 October 1998, lot 176, and again Christie's, London, 13 June 2002, lot 250 (£182,650 with premium).
Jean-François Leleu was one of the favoured assistants in the workshop of the great ébéniste Jean-François Oeben (1721-1763). After the early death of his master, he hoped to be entrusted with the running of the workshop, but was superseded by Jean-Henri Riesener (1734-1806), another of Oeben's assistants. Riesener married Oeben's widow and went on to become the court ébéniste of King Louis XVI and Queen Marie-Antoinette. Leleu left the workshop, became maître-ébéniste in 1764 and set up on his own. He attracted a grand and fastidious clientèle, notably the Duc d'Uzès, Baron d'Ivry, Ange-Laurent Lalive de Jully and the Prince de Condé to whom he delivered several sumptuous and celebrated pieces of furniture for the Palais Bourbon and the château at Chantilly in 1772 and 1773 (see Svend Eriksen, Early neo-classicism in France, London 1974, pp. 79-81, figs. 127-130.