Low cabinet (meuble à hauteur d'appui) (one of a pair)
late 18th century
Medium
Oak and pine veneered with ebony and marquetry of tortoiseshell, brass, and pewter; gilt bronze; Porto marble
Dimensions
H. 39-3/4 x W. 37-5/8 x D. 16 in. (101 x 95.6 x 40.6 cm)
Classification
Woodwork-Furniture
Culture
French
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Wrightsman, 1974
Accession Number
1974.391.2a, b
Art Historical Context
This exquisite low cabinet, known as a *meuble à hauteur'appui*, exemplifies the opulent furniture of late 18th-century France, crafted in the renowned workshop of André Charles Boulle. One of a pair, it reflects the enduring legacy of Boulle, the master cabinetmaker to Louis XIV, whose innovative techniques defined luxury woodworking at the French royal court. Though dated to the late 1700s—after Boulle's death in 1732—this piece continues his signature style, blending functionality with grandeur for aristocratic interiors. The cabinet's construction showcases Boulle's pioneering *boullework...