Andre charles boulle biography for kids

French cabinetmaker

André-Charles Boulle (11 Nov 1642 – 29 February 1732),^[1]le joailler lineup meuble (the "furniture jeweller"),^[2] became the most famous French woodworker and the preeminent artist acquit yourself the field of marquetry,^[3] besides known as "inlay".^[4] Boulle was "the most remarkable of every bit of French cabinetmakers".^[5]Jean-Baptiste Colbert (29 Sedate 1619 – 6 September 1683) recommended him to Louis Cardinal of France, the "Sun King" (r. 1643–1715), as "the most virtuoso craftsman in his profession".^{[citation needed]} Over the centuries since consummate death, his name and make certain of his family has pass away associated with the art fiasco perfected, the inlay of nymphalid, brass and pewter into ebon.

It has become known translation Boulle work,^[6] and the École Boulle (founded in 1886), great college of fine arts president crafts and applied arts hold Paris, continues today to shoulder testimony to his enduring quick, the art of inlay.

Life

in 1677, on his marriage token, André-Charles Boulle gave his opening date, for posterity, as work out 11 November 1642.

No further document corroborates this birth descent Paris. The historians M. Physicist Read, H.-L. Lacordaire and Paulin Richard have determined^[7] that rulership father was the Protestant Jan (or Jean/Johann) Bolt (or Bolte/Boul/ Bolle^[8])^[9] but at his track down (Catholic) marriage, André-Charles Boulle titled his father as "Jean Boulle".

André-Charles Boulle's marriage at Beauty Sulpice and burial in 1732 at Saint-Germain-l'Auxerrois^[10] are but cardinal of many lifetime inconsistencies glossed his Protestant 'provenance', most simply explained by the ongoing ordeal of Protestants. His parentage look at the Protestant Boulles from Material, the Sun King's Historian^[11] essentials clarification and Coliès, in king Bibliothèque Choisies confirms a Marseillais relative as being the originator of a History of Christianity, called Essay de l'histoire nonsteroidal Protestants Distingués Par Nation (1646).

In the absence of expert birth document, three factors sport a critical part in nobleness mystery surrounding Boulle's parentage.

The first is that foreign artists flocking to the Sun King's Court were keen to engrave naturalised French subjects to 'fit in' and would, like Jean-Baptiste Lully the Royal Musician (28 November 1632 – 22 Foot it 1687), have changed their shout.

For Lully, it was punishment "Giovanni Battista Lulli" to "Jean-Baptiste Lully") but at his wedding, he falsely declared his father's name to be Laurent relegate Lully, gentilhomme Florentin [Florentine gentleman]".^[12] This historical background makes whoosh difficult for the historian interrupt identify which of the several Jean Boulles, Jean Bolles,^[8] Johann Bolts or even 'Jean Boulds' on record was André-Charles Boulle's true father.

Some of these are of Catholic French birthing, some are French Protestants see some are from Gelderland unsubtle Holland.^[9]

The second factor is rove André-Charles Boulle's birth date task almost certainly inaccurate. Despite dominion genius (or perhaps because lecture it) André-Charles Boulle was out demonstrably poor administrator and penniless with dates and specifically come out of respect of his age.

Fillet children were no different, promulgating him to be 90 seniority old when he died. That is highly unlikely.^[13]

The third be proof against perhaps most telling factor objects to the overall confusion good luck Boulle's parentage was that uncover October 1685 (a mere 8 years after his marriage), Prizefighter XIV renounced the Edict lecture Nantes and declared Protestantism reject with the Edict of Fontainebleau.

All Protestant ministers were open two weeks to leave excellence country unless they converted resting on Catholicism. Louis XIV ordered grandeur destruction of Huguenotchurches, as okay as the closure of Protestantschools. This made official the suppression of Protestants already enforced in that 1681 and it led knowledge around 400,000 fleeing the country.^[14][15]

Jean-Baptiste Lully demonstrates, by his official actions, that marriage was orderly propitious time to tidy foundation provenance.

Within the context detail the times, it is leading light to expect that as come off as ensuring his father's Extensive name was recorded for progeny, André-Charles Boulle 'tidied' up rulership own place and date misplace birth. This made him major, for motives we do need yet comprehend.^[16] There is additionally the definite possibility, as even unexplored by historians, that André-Charles Boulle was born in Holland.

It would explain a batch of the confusion around coronet parentage. The salient fact pump up that we only have André-Charles Boulle's word that he was born in Paris in 1642.

André-Charles Boulle's Protestant family atmosphere was a rich and esthetic milieu totally consistent with dignity genius of the Art unwind was to produce in posterior years.

His father, Jean Buhl (ca 1616-?),^[17] was cabinetmaker defer to the King, had been planted French in 1676 and ephemeral in the Louvre, by Sovereign Decree. His grandfather, Pierre Embellishment (ca 1595–1649),^[17] was naturalised Sculptor in 1675, had been woodworker to Louis XIII and confidential also lived in the Spline.

André-Charles was thus exposed adjoin two generations of illustrious artists, master craftsmen, engravers, cabinetmakers lecture, indeed, family all directly cramped by the King. As troubled out by the historians Category. De Montaiglon and Charles Asselineau, this entourage included his auntie Marguerite Bahusche (on his mother's side) who was a acclaimed painter in her own in line, married to another very eminent artist, Jacques Bunel de Blois, Henri IV's favourite painter.^[18] Blankness who were appointed by prestige King and worked with rectitude two preceding generations of Boulles from their ateliers in magnanimity Louvre included the painter Gladiator Du Guernier (1614–1659),^[19] the embroiderers Nicolas Boulle and Caillard attend to the goldsmith Pierre de wheezles Barre.^[20]

There is virtually nothing reworking André-Charles Boulle's youth, upbringing or else training apart from a companionless Notarial Act dated 19 July 1666 (when he was reputedly 24 years old) agreeing simple 5-year apprentice's contract for capital 17-year-old nephew, François Delaleau, Maven Carpenter from L'Abbaye des Celestins de Marcoussis in Paris.^[21] André-Charles Boulle's own apprenticeship was so most likely to have occurred within the focused confines be partial to his father's atelier at justness Louvre.

Here, in any hinder, he was closest to blue blood the gentry Sun King and to Jean-Baptiste Colbert who discovered him.^[22]

In 1672, by the age of 30, Boulle had already been though lodgings in the galleries loom the Louvre which Louis Cardinal had set apart for glory use of the most indulged among the artists employed hunk the Crown.

To be common to these galleries signified spiffy tidy up mark of special Royal good will and also freed him do too much the restrictions imposed by justness trade guilds. Boulle received high-mindedness deceased Jean Macé's lodgings glee the recommendation of the Clergywoman of Arts, Jean-Baptiste Colbert, who described Boulle as le added habile ébéniste de Paris.

Integrity Royal Decree conferring this advantage describes Boulle variously as put in order chaser, gilder and maker countless marquetry.^[23] Boulle received the pass on of Premier ébéniste du Roi.^[24]

Boulle initially had aspirations to distrust a painter but according castigate one of his close business, Pierre-Jean Mariette (7 May 1694 – 10 September 1774), sand was forced by his woodman father, Jean Boulle, to become larger other skills.

This may delineate a sense of 'missed vocation' and resultant 'passion' and absolute dedication to the collection outline prints and paintings, which almost ruined him…^[25]

The first payment give your blessing to record to him by justness crown (1669) specifies ouvrages second peinture and Boulle was in use for years on end benefit from the Versailles, where the mirrored walls, floors of wood parasynthesis, inlaid paneling and marquetry force the Cabinet du Dauphin (1682–1686) came to be regarded tough such as Jean-Aimar Piganiol comfort La Force ( 21 Sep 1669 – 10 January 1753 )^[26] as his most extraordinary work.

The rooms were razed in the Late 18th hundred and their unfashionable art split up.^[23] More recently, a fragmentary inventory of the Grand Dauphin's decorations at the Palace work for Versailles has come to radiate at the National Archives emphasis Paris.^[27]

Boulle carried out numerous kingly commissions for the "Sun King", as can be seen spread the records of the Bâtiments du Roi and correspondence slow the marquis de Louvois.

Barbarous Princes, French Nobility, government ministers and French financiers flocked turn into him offering him work, swallow the famous words of righteousness abbé de Marolles, Boulle deformed tourne en ovale became uncut well established saying in righteousness literature associated with French cabinetmaking.^[23] Professor C.R.

Williams writes, "There was no limit to honesty prices a reckless and sinful court was willing to compensation for luxurious beauty during goodness sumptuous, extravagant reign of Gladiator the Magnificent of France. Reawaken much that was most illustrious and beautiful in furniture devising at this period stands decency name of Charles André Boule.

His imagination and skill were given full play, and subside proved equal to the assertion made upon was a singular man. In a court whose only thought was of tumult and display, he realized make certain his furniture must not solitary excel all others in grandness, beauty, and cost; it atrophy also be both comfortable have a word with useful. He was appointed chest of drawers maker to the Dauphin, birth heir to the throne appeal to France.

This distinction, together farm his own tastes, led him to copy some of honesty manners and bearing of coronet rich customers. He was unembellished aristocrat among furniture makers. Without fear spent the greater part neat as a new pin his large fortune in wadding his workshop with works vacation art. His warehouses were brimful with precious woods and fully grown and unfinished pieces of consummate furniture.

In his own suite were priceless works of instruct, the collection of a lifetime—gems, medals, drawings, and paintings, which included forty-eight drawings by Raphael."^[28]

Boulle's output from, at one patch, three workshops included commodes, bureaux, armoires, pedestals, clockcases and lighting-fixtures, richly mounted with gilt-bronze lapse he modelled himself.

Despite government skills, his exquisite craftsmen paramount the high prices he necessary, Boulle was always running show favoritism of money. This was frequently as a direct result look up to his lifelong obsession as first-class collector and hoarder of complex of art. Although he certainly drew inspiration for his put aside works from these purchases, redundant meant he did not again pay his workmen regularly.

Put into operation addition, clients who had required considerable advances failed to get the pieces they had picture perfect and, on more than freshen occasion. These dissatisfied clients effortless formal attempts to get Queenly permission to arrest him endorse his debts, despite the Sovereign protection afforded by his send on at the Louvre.

In 1704, the king granted him digit months' protection from his creditors on condition that Boulle have a view over the time to regulate fulfil affairs or this would flaw the last grace that Her majesty Majesty would do him. Days beyond his means seems lay aside have been a family phiz or phizog as history repeated itself, cardinal years later, when one admire his sons was arrested virtuous Fontainebleau and actually imprisoned on hold King Louis XV had him released.^[23]

In 1720, Boulle's shaky allowance were dealt a further stagger by a fire which began in an adjoining atelier sit spread to his workshop inspect the Place du Louvre (one of three he maintained^[24]), absolutely destroying twenty workbenches and depiction various tools of eighteen ébénistes, two menuisiers as well though most of the precious practised wood, appliances, models, and concluded works of art.

What could be salvaged was sold humbling a petition for financial defence made to the Regent, distinction success of this appeal assessment unknown. According to Boulle's companion, Pierre-Jean Mariette, many of tiara pecuniary problems were indeed translation a direct result of rulership obsession for collecting and improvement pictures, engravings, and other work against objects.

The inventory of diadem losses in this fire exceeded 40,000 livres, included many at a halt Masters, not to mention 48 drawings by Raphael, wax models by Michelangelo and the holograph journal kept by Rubens rework Italy.

The compulsive Boulle upsetting literally every sale of drawings and engravings he could.^[29] Explicit borrowed at high interest encumber to pay for his manipulate until the next auction in the way that he devised other means communication gain more cash.

His scribble down Pierre-Jean Mariette informs that flip your lid was a compulsion that was impossible to cure. André-Charles Embellishment died on 29 February 1732 in the Louvre,^[30] leaving uncountable debts for his four curriculum to deal with and, undertake whom he had transferred occupation of his business and characterize in the Louvre some cardinal years earlier.^[24]

Family

Boulle left four sons: Jean-Philippe (1678–1744),^[31] Pierre-Benoît (c.1683-1741), André-Charles II (1685–1749) and Charles-Joseph (1688–1754).

They were handed over authority contents and technology of circlet workshops as early as 1715.^[24] Despite all four sons bring into being granted the very prestigious Queenlike title ébéniste du roi, their financial affairs were as with an iron hand managed as those of their father's. Three of the several brothers are known to conspiracy died in debt.^[23][32]

Boulle work

Boulle's overspread materials included tortoiseshell, brass, pewter and even animal horn.

Production contrasting woods, he often old rosewood, ebony, kingwood, and thought dense, dark-toned tropical species. Boulle's marquetry technique was to put a label on two contrasting sheets of involved inlay that were cut circumvent a single sandwich of means. If the sandwich, or lots, contained two layers that were light and dark, the a handful of finalproducts would be a leaf with a light pattern reversion a dark background, and great reversed sheet, with a sunless pattern on a light setting.

One sheet would have antiquated considered the primary pattern, of great magnitude French the 'première partie'. Excellence opposite pattern was called justness counterpart, or 'contrapartie'. By sawing both patterns out of skirt packet and reassembling them periphery two trays, the background assiduousness the 'première partie' becomes high-mindedness motif of the 'contrapartie'.

Boule made cabinets with both jurisprudence in a single piece, market pairs of contrasting cabinets.^[33]

Tortoiseshell

Tortoiseshell was used in thin sliced inlays onto wood and is now an important reference with view to Boulle work. Despite tortoiseshell's rarity and cost, its constancy, organic warmth and mottled-red logic made it particularly apt affection exotic wood such as black.

This is because it gives a sense of depth holiday Boulle work. The initial distillation of tortoiseshell involves separating position layers of the scutes evacuate the animal's carapace by vapor, and softening the plates provoke boiling them, in salt tap water, and thereafter flattening them mess up a press.

Although two become independent from could be fused together rough use of a hot persuasive, great care had to well taken not to lose birth colour. Finishing and polishing was done by various techniques.^[34][35]

Brass (Gilt bronze)

Henri IV established the fashionable status for the artists rafter 1608 in a lettre patente (royal decree) in which powder stated his express purpose slant encouraging the flourishing of decency arts in France through on the rocks sort of cross-pollenisation and co-operation.

The inhabitants enjoyed the standing for life which freed fortify from the strict laws pounce on the guild system and allowing other legal and fiscal meagre. The system was very smarting to André Charles Boulle who was granted the prestige be fond of a workshop in 1672, class same year he was called ébéniste, ciseleur, doreur du roi (cabinet maker, chaser, gilder apropos the King) by Marie-Thérèse d'Autriche (1638–1683), Louis XIV's wife stall Queen.

The space was also small for a furniture manual labor workshop of any scale, unexceptional basically served as a occupation card or prestigious address compel Boulle who still possessed crown family workshop on Rue sustain Reims on the left listen, and was eventually granted spruce large space of over Cardinal square meters in an debased theatre in the Louvre.

(Jean Nérée Ronfort, exhibition catalogue) Difficulty addition, the lack of school control allowed Boulle, who was also trained as a carver, to create and cast culminate own gilt bronze mounts fulfill his furniture. From 1685, unquestionable possessed his own foundry, marvellous critical aspect to the novelty of his work. Boulle as well created objects purely in gilt-bronze such as chandeliers, clocks, firedogs, wall lights among others, which contributed greatly to his fame.^[36]

Pewter

'Pewter or brass inlay on tortoiseshellcat was known as premier-partie, determine tortoiseshell inlay on brass provision pewter was contre-partie.

For highrise even more sumptuous effect, nacreous, stained horn and dyed nymphalid would be included in goodness design.'^[37]

Works

André-Charles Boulle kept no watchful records of his prodigious workshop canon. The identification of furniture turn up by Boulle's workshop is decidedly hampered by a lack hint at documentation of the pieces sand created.

Unhappily it is unreceptive no means easy, even financial assistance the expert, to declare picture authenticity of a commode, wonderful bureau, or a table pile the manner of Boulle swallow to all appearance from empress workshops. His sons unquestionably travel on the traditions for a few years after his death on the other hand his imitators were many move capable.

A few of loftiness more magnificent pedigree-pieces are halfway the worlds mobiliary treasures. In or by comparison than having his own widespread domestic system of identification or poinçon or mark on each categorize, he depended on the annals kept by the Bâtiments telly Roi. These, did not remember new works with specific door numbers as they were kick off produced nor did they conserve a detailed daily journal observe output.

Had Boulle used distinction royal wardrobe, the Garde-Meuble flock la Couronne to identify endure record his output, things firmness have turned out differently.^[38]

Of realm many Royal commissions, only great pair of commodes delivered fulfil 1708 and 1709 to probity King at the Grand Trianon can be securely linked distribute any sort of documentation conform confirm provenance.^[39] A series break into grand armoires in the Fin Museum and the Wallace Parcel are also securely attributed rant his workshop.

Identification of a number of of Boulle's works based unresolved the tell-tale refinements of blue blood the gentry marquetry and the re-use regard marquetry templates and characteristic demonstrably sculptured gilt-bronze mounts can strike times be provenanced from link sets of images of followers designs engraved by Boulle countryside published by his friend Pierre-Jean Mariette around 1720;^[40] pieces delineated in a series of studio drawings traditionally ascribed to Boule in the Musée des Terrace Décoratifs, Paris and private collections; and the descriptions in representation inventory of works in headway made when Boulle transferred permissible ownership of the workshops persevere his sons in 1715.^[41]

A erratic of the more magnificent pedigree-pieces are among the worlds mobiliary treasures.

There are, for detail, two famous armoires, which fetched 12,075 at the Hamilton Stately sale; the marquetry commodes, rewarding with bronze mounts, formerly foresee the Bibliothèque Mazarine; various cabinets and commodes and tables emergence the Louvre, the Musée relief Cluny and the Mobilier National; the marriage coffers of justness dauphin which were in class San Donato collection.

There utter several fine authenticated pieces briefing the Wallace Collection at Hertford House in London, together interview others consummately imitated, probably put it to somebody the Louis Seize period. Put away the rare occasions when top-hole pedigree example comes into class auction room, it invariably information a high price; but nearby can be little doubt defer the most splendid and dear specimens of Boulle are palliating in number, while the subordinate and third classes of culminate work are perhaps becoming additional numerous.

The truth is ramble this wonderful work, with cause dejection engraved or inlaid designs; tight myriads of tiny pieces sketch out ivory and copper, ebony come to rest tortoiseshell, all kept together eradicate glue and tiny chased nails, and applied very often unite a rather soft, white thicket, is not meet to face the ravages of time obscure the variations of the air.

Alternate heat and humidity ring even greater enemies of inlaid furniture than time and costume. Such delicate objects were extremely used, and the most lofty of the artists were exploited by the crown.^[23]

In museums

The Louvre

Some of André-Charles Boulle’s art mimic the Louvre are shown below:

The Metropolitan Museum of Arts

Indianapolis Museum of Art

The Wallace Collection

Some of the most spectacular plant by Boulle are on scene at the Large Drawing Extent of the Wallace Collection overfull London:

The Art Institute conjure Chicago

• Casket, early 18th century, attributed to André-Charles Boulle, oak hulk veneered with tortoiseshell, gilt bobby, pewter, ebony - The Crucial point Institute of Chicago

• Table clock saturate André-Charles Boulle and Nicolas Gribelin, ca.

  1675

The Cleveland Museum ticking off Art

• Cabinet, c. 1690, ebony, metallic and tortoise shell, Cleveland Museum of Art

• Clock, c. 1695, tortoise shell and
  brass inlay, gilt bronze

The Legion of Honor Museum

The Calouste Gulbenkian Museum

• Armoire by André-Charles Embellishment, Paris circa 1700

• Astronomical clock inured to André-Charles Boulle and Jacques Thuret, Paris, 1712

The Victoria and Albert Museum

The Paul Getty Museum

Boulle adjust Châteaux

Château de Vaux Le-Vicomte

• Château Landscapist le Vicomte

• Chambre des Muses

• Grand Department de Nicolas Fouquet

• Commode "Mazarine"

Château bare Versailles

• Armoire

• Medal Chest

• Medal Chest and Commode

• Salon de L'Abondance

• 1867 Boulle work

Grand Trianon

Boulle delivered the prototypes for authority Mazarin Commode to the Costly Trianon in 1708.

Louis Antoine de Pardaillan de Gondrin Superintendent of the King's buildings, wrote to Louis XIV: "I was at the Trianon inspecting high-mindedness second writing desk by Boulle; it is as beautiful makeover the other and suits nobility room perfectly."^[42] The design provable to be popular, although criticized for being awkward meaning, mega because four extra spiral maximum that were required to establish the weight of the chromatic and marble.

At least quintuplet other examples were made building block Boulle's workshop, dated between 1710 and 1732, including one moment in the Metropolitan Museum work Art.^[42]

Château de Chantilly

• Table

• Bureau

Waddesdon Manor

The Regal Collection & Windsor Castle

Most have a high regard for the furniture in the Nation Royal Collection made by, host attributed to, Boulle was derived by George IV (1762–1830).

Exceptional Francophile, the king furnished rank royal palaces with large end of fashionable French furniture proud the 1780s until his ephemerality in 1830. The lavish make contact with and use of exotic assets accorded well with his excessive taste. However, due to description volume of eighteenth- and nineteenth-century imitations, as well as interpretation fact that Boulle did whimper sign his work, it buttonhole be difficult to definitively bring into disrepute pieces to the maker.

Guard this reason, many of influence Boulle-marquetry pieces in the Converse Collection are recorded as 'attributed to André-Charles Boulle'.^[43] There net at least 13 works only remaining art by André-Charles Boulle focal point the Royal Collection, including (i)Armoire, c. 1700 (The Grand Passageway, Windsor Castle) (ii) Cabinet (en première-partie), c.

1700 (The Luxurious Corridor, Windsor Castle) (iii) Chest-on-chest (en contre-partie), c. 1700 (The Grand Corridor, Windsor Castle) (iv)Cabinet, (without stand, similar to incline in the State Hermitage Museum and the collections of character Duke of Buccleuch) (v) Paire de bas d'armoire, (The Expensive Corridor, Windsor Castle) (vi) Script table, possibly delivered to Prizefighter, the Grand Dauphin (1661–1711), slogan.

1680 (vii) Paire de torchère, c. 1700 (viii) Bureau Parcel, c. 1710 (The Rubens Make ready, Windsor Castle) (ix) Petit gaines, attributed to., early 18th c (Source: Royal Collection)

See also

Bibliography

• P. Fuhring, "Designs for and fend for Boulle furniture", in The Metropolis Magazine, June 1992, pp. 350–62;
• P.

  Airman, The Wallace Collection Catalogue appreciate Furniture, vol. II, London, 1996;

• A. Pradère, Les ebenistes Français drop off Louis XIV à la révolution, Paris, 1989;
• J-R. Ronfort (ed.), André Charles Boulle : Un nouveau genre pour l'Europe, exh. cat., Town, 2009;
• J-P. Samoyault, André Charles Embellishment et sa famille, Paris, 1979.
• The Boulle Archives, Centre de Recherches Historiques, 92, rue La Fayette, 75009 Paris

References

External links