Jewelry Cabinet
Made by Charles-Guillaume Diehl, French, 1811 - c. 1885. Designed by E. Brandely, French, active 1850 - 1870.
Geography:
Made in France, Europe
Date:
1867Medium:
Dyed and inlaid woods including maple, sycamore, satinwood, and ebony; gilded bronze decorationDimensions:
5 feet 3 3/8 inches x 42 1/2 x 22 inches (161 x 108 x 55.9 cm)Curatorial Department:
European Decorative Arts and SculptureObject Location:
1996-65-1Credit Line:
Purchased with funds from the gift of Mrs. William S. Lasdon and with the Henry P. McIlhenny Fund in memory of Frances P. McIlhenny, 1996
Made in France, Europe
Date:
1867Medium:
Dyed and inlaid woods including maple, sycamore, satinwood, and ebony; gilded bronze decorationDimensions:
5 feet 3 3/8 inches x 42 1/2 x 22 inches (161 x 108 x 55.9 cm)Curatorial Department:
European Decorative Arts and SculptureObject Location:
Currently not on view
Accession Number:1996-65-1Credit Line:
Purchased with funds from the gift of Mrs. William S. Lasdon and with the Henry P. McIlhenny Fund in memory of Frances P. McIlhenny, 1996
Social Tags
1867 universal exposition [x] antiquity [x] bronze [x] classical [x] ebony [x] extravagance [x] furniture [x] gems [x] gilding [x] inlaid wood [x] jewelry [x] lavish [x] maple [x] paris [x]This jewelry cabinet in the Greek style was considered a masterpiece of the Paris Exposition Universelle of 1867. An elaborate showpiece of marquetry, gilded elements, and clever construction, the cabinet includes a hidden release mechanism by which the door and top open. Inside are drawers for storage and a flat, slanted platform for display. In 1868, one critic described the decoration of the cabinet's surface as its "exterior jewelry," comparable to the elaborate jewels it was made to conceal and protect.