Paintings in Wood

the Hidden Colours of French Furniture

4 October to 31 December 2001

The Wallace Collection, which houses the finest museum collection of French marquetry in the world outside the Louvre, will mount a major exhibition to celebrate the art of the 18th century French ébéniste. "Paintings in Wood: the Hidden Colours of French Furniture" is, to our knowledge, the first exhibition devoted to the subject of marquetry within the history of the decorative arts.

Marquetry - creating patterns and pictures on furniture through inlaid wood veneers - has long been recognised as one of the most attractive and sophisticated methods of decorating fine furniture. It was one of the primary decorative techniques applied to furniture produced in France during the late 17th century and throughout the 18th century. Leading craftsmen - who included André-Charles Boulle (cabinet-maker to Louis XIV), Jean-François Oeben (cabinet-maker to Louis XV) and Jean-Henri Riesener (cabinet-maker to Louis XVI and Marie-Antoinette) - vied to produce ever more spectacular pieces for wealthy patrons, not least for the Royal family itself. Depictions of exotic flowers in ebony, tulipwood and rosewood, as well as the patterns in tortoiseshell and brass made famous by André-Charles Boulle, celebrate the rare and exotic materials from which they were made.

This exhibition will explore the history, techniques, sources of decoration and colours of marquetry, with particular focus on a number of superb pieces in the Wallace Collection. Modern marquetry reproductions will be displayed alongside to illustrate how these pieces of furniture may have appeared in the 18th century. The accompanying book, written by Wallace Collection furniture conservator Yannick Chastang, will be reviewed in Conservation News 77.

Exhibition tour

M Chastang has kindly offered to conduct a special tour of the exhibition for UKIC members. The tour is scheduled for Friday, 16 November at 14:30 and the group must be limited to 20 persons. Cost will be £10 per person. Those interested should contact Noëlle Streeton on [email protected] or 01494 563 149. Bookings before 12 November please.

In addition to this special tour, there will be an extensive programme of lectures and demonstrations, as well as a study day scheduled for 1 December. For further information on these events, contact Hayley Kruger, Wallace Collection Booking Officer on [email protected] or 020 7563 9551.
Noëlle Streeton
Conservation News editor

The Wallace Collection: www.the-wallace-collection.org.uk

� UKIC Furniture and Wood Section. Last update: Sunday 28 October 2001.