The Queen's Jewellery cabinet

3D model of the Queen's Jewellery cabinet.
The Queen, desiring a new storage chest for her diamonds, commissioned and paid for this monumental mahogany cabinet made by cabinetmaker Schwerdfeger in 1787, probably from drawings by Dugourc. The central panel is decorated with a bas-relief depicting the Spirit of France crowning the Arts. The bronzes accompany a precious painted decoration under glass, highlighted by frames inlaid with mother-of-pearl. The frieze on the lower part is composed of antique scenes in painted grisaille. Before the Revolution, at the top of the piece, the allegorical figures of Strength, Wisdom and Plenty supported the royal crown. This exceptional cabinet shows the queen’s taste on the eve of the Revolution. The four caryatids in gilded bronze imbue the piece with a powerful neo-classicism. This sumptuous piece of furniture involved the work of the greatest artists of the period.