* ATTRIBUTED TO PHILIPPE-CLAUDE MONTIGNY (1734-1800) Received master in 1766 EXCEPTIONAL SECRETARY IN CABINET Decorated with nanban lacquer panels. Japan, 16th century. Louis XVI period, circa 1780-1785. Lacquer, mother-of-pearl, pewter and European lacquer. Black marble top. H. 162 cm W. 88 cm D. 44 cm Remarkable state of preservation. Some missing parts. The front of the cabinet has a double-circle lock entrance bronze. The front opens to a large flap almost square, under a narrow drawer and in the lower part, a surprisingly a surprisingly wide leaf. Each leaf is framed by a each leaf is framed by a chased and gilded bronze molding. Only the flap and the and the leaf are surrounded by a mother-of-pearl inlay in frieze in sawtooth. The flat ebony uprights are inlaid with a inlaid with a baguette with pewter bases. The short legs are in toupie with a collar of ovals and acanthus and a base of a base of foliage at the end. The NANBAN or Namban ( ) decoration is made of panels coming from chests, screens and sometimes from cabinets from the Azuchi-Momoyama period (1573-1603). As early as the 16th century, Europe imported furniture which was which became fashionable during the 17th century. Richelieu and Mazarin owned several chests and cabinets "Namban". The decoration of these lacquers had a very dark or even black black (Urushi) with a gold powdered decoration (Maki-e). (Maki-e). flowering branches, stumps, mounds and some animals animals, especially birds. This decoration was animated by the use of pearls (raden). The term "Nanban" designates "the barbarians of the south", i.e. the Portuguese who arrived in Japan around 1543. They will make handicrafts including the famous lacquerware. (See on this subject the Tajan sale of November 29 2016, lot n° 147 : Nanban cabinet, end of the 16th century H. 116 cm W. 85 cm D. 55 cm) THE NANBAN DECORATION OF OUR SECRETARY : The flap: On three mounds is planted an emaciated tree with long branches and fruits gilded with pearls. Two birds flying in the upper corners and butterflies and insects. The bottom leaf: amazing format for a leaf that replaces the usual two leaves here. The cabinetmaker did not dare to split this beautiful one-piece panel in two. Three mounds linked by a fence. Two deer galloping towards a pagoda. A bird in the corners. The top drawer: strangely narrow, the master cabinetmaker used a banner that would require this size. Two branches of flowers with mother of pearl inlays. The sides: two large panels decorated with a rocky mound with an old tree with rich flowering branches. The lower one is a French lacquer in the Japanese style without mother-of-pearl inlay. The few known pieces of furniture using this type of decoration, have some side or back panels in European lacquer as a complement. The middle panel is a masterpiece with rich mother of pearl decoration and two birds in the upper part in Nanban lacquer. The interior is remarkably arranged and decorated: the cabinet is a Japanese fairy tale. Such a decoration is extremely rare because in the XVIIIth century, this type of secretary had to remain closed to hide the disorder and correspondence in progress. The top of the cabinet is entirely decorated in 18th century lacquer of Japan of the XVIIIth century. Superb decoration of pagodas in a golden landscape on a black background. The eight drawers at the bottom of the cabinet are treated in European lacquer in the Nanban style. None of them None of them has a key and the middle one is square. The flap is decorated in lacquer on the surrounding of the morocco. It closes with a strong lock with three bolts. The bottom leaf: it opens on a free box and a drawer with English closing with key. The front of the drawer is with landscape with pagoda in lacquer of the XVIIIth century and the bottom is decorated on all its sides with gold lacquer with a black background representing flowering branches. The interior of the layette of the box, the English drawer drawer and the one of the high belt are lacquered bright red inside. Marble top of the period, deep black from Belgium with molding. References : The very rare French furniture of the XVIII e covered with Nanban lacquer from the XVI e century are listed and still fetch very high prices. very high prices. Few cabinetmakers in Paris have ventured to cover their to cover their furniture with these lacquers. It was necessary to overcome the technical difficulties that poses the extreme fragility of the elements dismantled on screens, chests or cabinets of the XVI e . We currently know of three pieces of Parisian furniture Parisian furniture decorated with Nanban lacquer, three masterpieces: - The secretary with cylinder of the Collection Luigi Anton Laura Collection