Work Table - Rosewood Veneer - Attributed to François Linke - Period: XIXth Century

Elegant work table or "worker" in rosewood veneer.
Rectangular and eventful, its tray surrounded by a gadroon bronze, reveals a very beautiful cube marquetry.
Inside he discovers a locker and a mirror surrounded by a gadrooned bronze.

The cubic marquetry belt, too, is endowed with a charming and sober ornamentation of gilded bronze with gadrooned rushes.
It rests on four arched feet, each foot is magnified by pretty falls and gilded bronze hooves.

This magnificent work of the Faubourg Saint Antoine is attributable to François Linke with these ornamentations of gilded and finely chiseled bronzes, characteristics of the most important cabinetmaker of his time.

Period: Late 19th century
Style: Louis XV
Dimensions: Height: 73cm x Width: 56.4cm Depth: 40.7cm

François Linke (1855 -1946) was born in Pankraz in Bohemia arrived in Paris in 1875, and in 1881 he established his own small workshop at 170 rue du Faubourg St Antoine later creating a branch at 26 place Vendôme.

Linke's international reputation was already well established when the Universal Exhibition of 1900 was held in Paris, his talent and creativity remaining unmatched: the Exhibition crowned his success and strengthened the financial stability of his company, allowing him to conquer new overseas markets.
He will exhibit in St. Louis, Liège in Belgium and London.

Linke's highly original designs draw inspiration from Regency and Rococo styles but are imbued with something altogether new, Rococo curves are laden with sculptural gilt bronze mounts in the tradition of A.-C. Boulle (1642-1732) or Charles Cressent (1685-1758).

The most original creations were certainly made in collaboration with the enigmatic sculptor Léon Messagé, who excelled in the creation of living allegorical figures, in high relief, reminiscent of the styles of Boucher and Falconet.

Today as yesterday, Linke is best known for the exceptional quality of his work, as well as for his individualism and inventiveness. All his works are fitted with the finest and most sumptuous frames. The technical brilliance of his work and the artistic change it represented have never been replicated.

Ref: 16MP16HAT8