Pair of corner cabinets in European lacquer, stamped Foureau
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38000 € (port +200€)
Cupboards, Transition, XVIII

A pair of corner cabinets featuring *Vernis Martin* (or European varnish) imitating Chinese lacquer.

These distinctive corner cabinets, decorated with gold powder on a black ground, feature idyllic landscapes with Far Eastern architecture and figures—some carrying water or busy with daily tasks, others engaged in Asian strategy games—all dressed in traditional costumes.

The uprights and rails are adorned with elegant scrolling foliage and floral motifs. The cabriole legs feature small, asymmetrical bronze mounts. This rare pair of corner cabinets—the kind of luxury piece owned by 18th-century aristocratic families—is topped with *Brèche d’Alep* marble. The doors open—one from the right, the other from the left—to reveal an interior fitted with two small shelves.

Both cabinets bear the stamp "L. FOUREAU" and the *Jurande* (guild) hallmark. Louis Foureau worked in the Faubourg Saint-Denis for nearly thirty years and became a Master Cabinetmaker in 1755. He specialized in furniture featuring *vernis* decoration in the Chinese taste, such as this pair of cabinets. This piece is particularly representative of Foureau’s style and high-quality craftsmanship; it avoids excessive bronze ornamentation to focus instead on the lacquer decoration—evident on the uprights and the apron. Also notable is the simplicity and purity of line that Foureau favored. His works are held in several museums, including the Musée Carnavalet in Paris and museums in Reims.

Transition period, 18th century. Two small later-added sabots (feet mounts).

Height: 89 cm
Width: 68 cm
Side depth: 49 cm