Jean-Joseph Chapuis (1765-1864) Half-moon console in mahogany and white marble, Directoire period
A large, elegant half-moon shaped console table in Mahogany veneer and ebony inlay, it rests on four beautiful, curved legs with sheathed ends joined by a spacer shelf.
Our console is topped with beautiful white Carrara marble.
Beautiful Belgian work from the end of the XVIIIth century, Directoire period around 1795-1799, attributed to Jean-Joseph Chapuis (1765-1864). The shape of the base is characteristic of the production of this period by Jean-Joseph Chapuis.
Dimensions: Height 80 cm - Length 146 cm - Depth 61 cm.
In very good condition, we note a repair to the marble.
Biography :
Jean-Joseph Chapuis was born in Brussels in 1765 and died there in 1864.
He left Savoy with his cousin for Paris to do his apprenticeship with a famous master carpenter, Georges Jacob, "Supplier of the King's Furniture". He obtained his master's degree in cabinetmaking, which allowed him to use a stamp and set up his workshop in Brussels around 1795. There he designed many pieces of furniture with combinations and mechanisms for the Court, hence his name of cabinetmaker mechanic. His furniture is now exhibited in Brussels in the Royal Museums of Art and History and the Charlier Museum in Saint-Josse-ten-Noode. Jean-Joseph Chapuis stopped his business "having made his fortune" in 1830, and lived until the age of 99.
When the first works on the history of French furniture appeared in Paris XVIIIth century, an error was made on the Chapuis stamp, which was attributed to a namesake Claude, who was in fact just a simple merchant, about whom we know nothing but who deprived Jean-Joseph Chapuis of his reputation. This unknown existence explains why few pieces of furniture by Jean-Joseph Chapuis exist in public collections both abroad and in Belgium, apart from the Vleeshuis museum in Antwerp. Only the Charlier Museum in Saint-Josse-ten-Noode (Brussels) allows us to come into contact with several pieces of furniture stamped Chapuis, all collected by the same enthusiastic empire enthusiast, Joseph Adolphe Van Cutsem, who, in 1865, completed his collection with two important purchases at the funeral sale of Jean Joseph Chapuis. However, this collection itself does not reflect all the facets of the cabinetmaker's production.
Museums:
Brussels in the Royal Museums of Arts and History and the Charlier Museum in Saint-Josse-ten-Noode.
Jacquemart-André Museum.
References:
A.-M. Bonenfant-Feytmans, “The furniture of the cabinetmaker Jean Joseph Chapuis at the Royal Museums of Art and History in Brussels”, Bulletin of the Royal Museums of Art and History – Bulletin of the Royal Museums of Art and History, Brussels, Royal Museums of Art and History, 1986, volume 57 – issue 1.
Jean-Joseph Chapuis (1765-1864) Mahogany and white marble half-moon console Directoire period
A large, elegant half-moon console in mahogany veneer and ebony inlay, resting on four handsome sheathed legs joined by a spacer shelf.
Our console is topped with a fine white Carrara marble.
Beautiful Belgian work from the late 18th century, Directoire period circa 1795-1799, attributed to Jean-Joseph Chapuis (1765-1864). The shape of the base is typical of Jean-Joseph Chapuis' work of this period.
Sizes: H 31.49 In. – W 57.48 In. – D 24.01 In.
In very good condition, we report a repair to the marble.
Biography:
Jean-Joseph Chapuis was born in Brussels in 1765 and died there in 1864.
He left Savoy with his cousin for Paris to apprentice with a famous master carpenter, Georges Jacob, “Fournisseur des Meubles du Roy”. He obtained his master's degree in cabinetmaking, which enabled him to use a stamp, and set up his workshop in Brussels around 1795. Here, he designed a large number of combination and mechanism furniture pieces for the Court, hence the name “mechanical cabinetmaker” . Today, his furniture is exhibited in Brussels in the Royal Museums of Art and History and the Musée Charlier in Saint-Josse-ten-Noode. Jean-Joseph Chapuis retired from the business in 1830, at the age of 99.
When the first works on the history of French furniture in the 18th century appeared in Paris, a mistake was made regarding the Chapuis stamp, which was attributed to a namesake, Claude, who was in fact a simple merchant, about whom nothing is known, but who deprived Jean-Joseph Chapuis of his renown. This little-known existence explains why so little furniture by Jean-Joseph Chapuis exists in public collections abroad or in Belgium, apart from the Vleeshuis Museum in Antwerp. Only the Musée Charlier in Saint-Josse-ten-Noode (Brussels) provides access to several pieces of Chapuis furniture, all assembled by the same empire enthusiast, Joseph Adolphe Van Cutsem, who in 1865 completed his collection with two major purchases at the funeral sale of Jean Joseph Chapuis. But even this collection does not reflect all the facets of the cabinetmaker's production.
Museums:
Brussels in the Royal Museums of Arts and History and the Musée Charlier in Saint-Josse-ten-Noode.
Jacquemart-André Museum.
Bibliography:
A.-M. Bonenfant-Feytmans, “The furniture of the cabinetmaker Jean Joseph Chapuis at the Royal Museums of Art and History in Brussels”, Bulletin of the Royal Museums of Art and History – Bulletin of the Royal Museums of Art and History, Brussels, Royal Museums of Art and History, 1986, volume 57 – issue 1.
