André-Charles Boulle. Furniture Decorated by Brass, Tin and Tortoiseshell from the Historical Collections of Movable Objects from State Castles and Chateaux in Central Bohemia
Abstract
The furniture stocks, administered generally by the National Heritage Institute, represent an important and as yet not fully explored source of knowledge for the researcher concerned with the history of crafts, applied art and design. The contribution focuses selectively on the groups of items of furniture from the Central Bohemian furniture stocks, which are thus becoming demonstrative examples for the introduction of the issues of one among the most significant chapters in the history of furniture making.
Charles-André Boulle (1642-1732), court ebonist of Louis XIV., during the process of furniture surface decoration, applied a combination of materials - tortoiseshell, pewter, brass - up to that time an unusual variety; through this distinctive manufacture of furniture surfaces he achieved absolutely unique effects. The furniture from Boulle's workshop became so renowned eventually that his method of decoration became publicly known as Boulle work or Boulle inlay, and was subsequently widely imitated.
The tradition never waned, even in the 19th century, e.g. in the period that marked the return to historical styles and stimulated again interest in the luxury products embellished in the Boulle manner. The aim of the submitted chapter is to introduce an indispensable part of the domestic stock and to introduce these specific examples in the context of the development of European furniture design.