The Cabinetmaker’s Compromise: A Commode and the Changing Aesthetic of French Canada

                    Engraving on early Quebec.

The increased settlement of New France as a fur-trading colony in the late 17th century led to the subsequent development and expansion of the region’s interior. As towns and cities grew, so did their capital, creating a class of wealthy merchants apart from the well-to-do officers and officials. This was most evident in Montreal, as it was the “westernmost point accessible by ocean-going ships” at the convergence of the St. Lawrence and Ottawa rivers, thus controlling the passages to the Great Lakes and the interior fur-trading regions. In Montreal, tertiary sectors of the fur trading economy grew to accommodate new inhabitants, transforming the small town into the economic hub for the French fur trading industry. During this time, population growth in the colony was steady, but in Montreal it appeared more accelerated, ranging from a few hundred in the later part of the 17th century to approximately 7,500 in 1760. With these new inhabitants in all socio-economic classes came a rising demand for domestic industries in providing shelter and furnishings. It was these patrons of woodworkers, carpenters, and cabinetmakers that would dictate the styles of French Canada’s decorative arts, leaving behind beautifully carved and decorated pieces of vernacular furniture.

Top lot of the day, a French Canadian carved chestnut bombe-form commode, sold with buyer’s premium for $77,025.

August 11th, 2012 was a pristine day for an auction in Marlborough, Massachusetts. Skinner, Inc. was holding their annual August Americana sale at their newly acquired Marlborough location. A multitude of stunning pieces of American decorative arts and furnishings were up for sale, including a Dunlap-school chest, a J.W. Fiske butterfly weathervane, a carved Hadley chest, and even a one-room summerhouse. However, none was more exciting than the top grossing lot of the day, a French Canadian butternut bombe commode, hammering at $65,000 (fig. 1). This was a piece that garnered much attention from dealers and collectors alike due to its rare form, old surface, and finely executed carvings. To put it simply, this piece was astonishing.

Pair of Erastus Salisbury Field portraits, sold for $65,175.

Polychrome carved lion carousel figure, sold for almost $18,960.

J.W. Fiske copper butterfly weathervane, sold for $41,475.

This essay will consider the implications of changing aesthetics, fashions, and demographics within a developing French Canada on domestic furniture design. The bombe commode detailed above, considered a masterpiece by Canadian collectors, will be attributed to a school of carvers by examining the stylistic motifs they employed. The significance of this piece as the perfect representation of the transitional period of styles in French Canada and possibly the best example of vernacular furniture produced in Montreal warrants this further research. This analysis will be based on carved Rococo friezes and the artisans’ underlying symbolism, understanding of lines and proportion, and comparable documented examples. While it is unfortunate that construction details cannot be ascertained as the commode had been sold and transported by the time of my employment at Skinner, the aesthetic merits of this piece are strong enough and so unique that the attribution is unmistakable…

I’m back!

I’M BACK!

So after a not-so-brief hiatus, I think it’s about time that I found my way back to this blog. I loved the few blog posts from my days working at Woodbury Auction, but I feel that I have more opportunity to explore my interests, your interests, anybody’s interests, working at Skinner. That’s right, you heard it here. I jumped ship, from Woodbury, CT up to Boston, MA. The great thing about Skinner is I see much more volume within my own department. Due to the nature of working in the Discovery department, I can handle as many as almost 1,600 objects a month. While there is a time sensitive component to the cataloging process of these objects as we conduct, on average, a sale a month, I can still make time for the pieces that merit further investigation. And it’s these pieces, the objects that grab a hold of you until they’ve finally left our shelves, that keep me coming back for more.

On top of my intimate relationship with the material handled in Discovery, I enjoy the opportunity to explore other departments, ranging from militaria, Americana, books and manuscripts, Asiana, fine art, and more. And it’s not only the material that I have unrestricted access to, but the knowledge. If I ever have a question or even just a slight curiosity on any topic, I can comb the stacks of books that comprise our library or just talk to one of the specialists. Over the course of the last two years, I have come to see these people as much more than faces on Antiques Roadshow. While I unabashedly admit that I was starstruck at first, I came to realize that these people, my colleagues and friends, are great people. With their intriguing stories detailing amazing finds and quirky collectors, coupled with their plethora of knowledge, I could not have found myself in a greater work/play environment.

So, what am I doing back you ask? Well, probably not, seeing as I have three followers and haven’t updated since 2013. But I’ll pose the question for my future following. I’m searching for a new sense of purpose. Just floating by, day to day, doing the same old song and dance is getting repetitive, obviously, and boring! So I’d much rather document and reflect upon my experiences in the art world as I search for new adventures and handle some pretty snazzy items. I’ll break down museum exhibitions I’ve come to fancy, document major collections I find underrepresented, and take tons of photos in the process. Who wants to read a description of a piece. Realistically, y’all have eyes if you’re reading this, so you’re going to want to see these things. And hopefully I’ll be able to put a fun spin on the deets(details because sometimes I can be “hip” too).

In the coming days, I’ll be uploading the little project I had worked on during the fall after falling head-over-heels for a commode Skinner sold back in 2012. This piece is French-Canadian in origin, looks insane at first, but completely represents French-Canadian society after the cessation to the British in the 18th century. I just said a lot of things you don’t care about. But if you look hard at this piece, I’m sure you’ll be able to appreciated at least one aspect of it. I hope you’ll dive right in like I did!

P.S.: Looks like it’s off to the Peabody Essex this weekend for the Gould exhibit. I shall report back!