Low cabinet (meuble à hauteur d'appui) (one of a pair)

Art Historical Context

This exquisite low cabinet, known as a *meuble à hauteur'appui*, exemplifies the opulent furniture of late 18th-century France, crafted in the renowned workshop of André Charles Boulle. One of a pair, it reflects the enduring legacy of Boulle, the master cabinetmaker to Louis XIV, whose innovative techniques defined luxury woodworking at the French royal court. Though dated to the late 1700s—after Boulle's death in 1732—this piece continues his signature style, blending functionality with grandeur for aristocratic interiors. The cabinet's construction showcases Boulle's pioneering *boullework* marquetry: oak and pine are veneered with ebony, inlaid with intricate patterns of tortoiseshell, brass, and pewter cut en première partie (using the metal as the ground) or contre partie (tortoiseshell on metal). Gilt bronze mounts add ornate mounts and handles, while the Porto marble top provides a polished surface ideal for display. Standing at just under 40 inches high, its compact form (37-5/8 x 16 inches) made it perfect as a room divider or console in grand salons. A gift to The Metropolitan Museum of Art from Mr. and Mrs. Charles Wrightsman in 1974, this cabinet invites visitors to appreciate the technical virtuosity and cultural prestige of French decorative arts, evoking the lavish world of Versailles long after the Sun King's era.