Commode (Front)

raceful shapes and curves characterize the sophisticated design of this commode. It has bombé front and sides, a distinctive wave-like patterned decorative veneer, and gilt-bronze mounts in the form of leafy scrolls and foliated vines. It houses two drawers, each with two handles that are cleverly incorporated into the vine-like forms of the mounts.

Although this commode is not stamped with a cabinetmaker’s name, it is attributed to Jean-Pierre Latz because his stamp is found on another commode of the same design. Latz was an expert marquetry craftsman and the technical quality of his marquetry is consistently high. The strongly grained veneer on this commode is particularly difficult to achieve. It is formed by cutting through a log at a sharp angle so that the pattern of the wood grain is elongated. The separate pieces are then arranged side by side in alternating directions in order to create the wave-like design.