Antique Cabinets - Item 9452
Gothic Buffet Cabinet 

Item 9452 Gothic Cabinet with Fenestrage or Tracery Dimensions Width 49, Height 40, Depth 20½ (in inches) Wood Solid oak Country France Date Circa 1870 Price $ 5,995 Description This antique buffet cabinet comes from northern France and reflects stylistic elements of the so-called flamboyant Gothic such as tracery (fenestrage) or the use of motifs seen in stained glass windows.  Indeed, the motif of the central panel is reminiscent of the rose window used in Gothic cathedrals.  Entirely hand carved, the intricacy and grace of these Gothic elements lend a lightness and intimacy to the piece similar to that experienced inside the masterworks of late Gothic architecture such as the Sainte Chapelle in Paris.  Dating from the 19th century when the Gothic Revival movement swept through Europe, the cabinet has two doors and two drawers.  It is made of oak and has a dark finish, in accordance with the belief that furniture of the Middle Ages was always made of oak and stained a dark hue.  Although oak which is harder and more difficult to carve than the walnut favored by medieval furniture makers, the fenestrage panels demonstrate a sure hand and a high level of refinement.  Other Gothic elements include the tall, slim linen-fold panels used for the sides of the cabinet.  Particularly distinctive are the metal drawer pulls in the shape of ermine tails, the symbol of Anne of Brittany (second wife of King Louis XII), who incorporated this motif throughout the Perche aux Bretons wing of the royal chateau at Blois.  For other pieces featuring fenestrage and linen-fold panels, see bench 9208, and chairs 9340.  For another piece where the symbolism of the ermine tail is important, see cabinet 3091. Reference Ader-Tajan, Collection Bruno Perrier Haute Epoque (Catalog for Sale at Auction on April 6, 1992 at the Hotel Drouot, Paris); Boccador, Jacqueline, Le Mobilier Français du Moyen Age à la Renaissance, Editions d’Art Monelle Hayot (Saint-Just-en-Chaussée, 1988); Charles, Corinne, Visions d'Intérieurs, du Meuble au Décor (Paris-Musées, Paris, 2003) Uses The cabinet is ideal for a living or dining room, but is also adaptable for a bedroom or study