183 - A veneered wooden chest of drawers with two front-opening drawers, fluted side panels, and tapered legs. Decorated with chiseled and gilded bronze.

A veneered wooden chest of drawers with two front-opening drawers, fluted side panels, and tapered legs. Decorated with chiseled and gilded bronze. Dated to the late 18th century, it bears the mark of Conrad MAUTER, who was admitted as a master craftsman in 1777. 89.5 x 127 x 58 cm Note: Originally from Germany, Conrad Mauter (1742–1810), also known as Motaire, settled in Paris’s Faubourg Saint-Antoine and obtained his master cabinetmaker’s certificate on September 10, 1777. He became one of the suppliers to the Count of Artois, brother of Louis XVI and the future Charles X, for whom he crafted furniture intended, in particular, for the Palais du Temple, the Pavillon de Bagatelle, and the Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye. In 1791, Louis XVI also commissioned him to create several pieces of furniture for the Château de Saint-Cloud. His output, which was particularly prolific during the reigns of Louis XVI and later under the Directory and the Consulate, included chests of drawers, writing desks, office tables, and folding tables. His designs are distinguished by the precision of their proportions and the elegance of their neoclassical ornamentation. This late 18th-century chest of drawers, bearing his maker’s mark, displays the characteristics of Louis XVI furniture with its fluted sides, tapered legs, and chiseled and gilded bronze fittings.