An important Dutch ormolu-mounted rosewood, tulipwood, kingwood, purplewood and marquetry commode
Attributed to Matthijs Horrix (1735-1809), last quarter 18th century
The breakfront grey marble top above a veneered mounted dental frieze and a central panelled door inlaid with an olive leaf tied floral medallion flanked by ribbon tied musical trophies surmounted by simulated drawers, the central door enclosing a single shelf, the angled corners fitted with columns, the sides inlaid with Classical urns, above a guilloche frieze on faceted tapering legs, 117cm wide x 57cm deep x 92cm high, (46in wide x 22in deep x 36in high)
Footnotes:
Provenance
Pieter Hoogendijk Antiquairs, Baarn, where probably purchased 1996.

Exhibited
Pieter Hoogendijk Antiquairs, PAN Amsterdam, 1996.

Literature
Annigje Hofstede, Nederlandse meubelen: Van Barok Tot Biedermeier 1700-1830, 2004, fig. 234, p. 147.


Matthijs Horrix (1735-1819) was the foremost cabinetmaker in Holland during the second half of the eighteenth century. Born in Germany near the Dutch border, he was admitted to the furniture makers' guild in The Hague in 1764 and straightaway set out upon a brilliant career. He quickly became the principal supplier of veneered furniture to the stadholder, Prince William V of Orange, who in 1767 married Princess Wilhelmine of Prussia, and to the aristocratic clients that converged onto The Hague, the city where the court, the government and the embassies were established. But his workshop, which soon became the largest in the city and which, unusually, he extended to encompass chair-making and upholstery in the manner of the great London furniture firms, also worked for less exalted clients. Horrix was all but unique in acquiring fame throughout the seven United Provinces that together constituted the Dutch Republic: when clients in faraway towns wished to obtain a truly exquisite piece of furniture, they turned to Horrix.

Nothing is known about Horrix's training, but it may be assumed that he spent time as a journeyman in Paris, where of course many of the leading ébénistes were of German origin. When Horrix named his shop in The Hague 'In the commode of Paris', this was most likely intended to keep the memory of an apprenticeship in the French capital alive, as well as highlighting his principal speciality. All over Europe, a floral marquetry commode in the Parisian style became the fashionable piece of furniture par excellence in the early 1760s, and Horrix was undoubtedly the main exponent of this trend in The Hague. For the marriage of the stadholder in 1767, he was commissioned to deliver considerable quantities of marquetry furniture, doubtless all in the latest French manner. Right until William V and his family were forced to flee to England because of the French invasion in 1795, Horrix remained their principal cabinetmaker. Princess Wilhelmine, who mentions him in several of her letters, had a special predilection for his work. She ordered many fine pieces for her private apartments and actively influenced stylistic decisions: for example, in 1780 she supplied Horrix with Japanese lacquer panels to set into commodes. Marquetry furniture inlaid with Chinese or Japanese lacquer is a staple of late eighteenth-century Dutch furniture, and Wilhelmine may have played an important role in fostering this taste. In 1790-1791 Horrix provided the panelling, inset with Chinese lacquer, and all the lacquer-mounted furniture for the new Audience Chamber in Huis ten Bosch, the stadholder's palace outside The Hague, which is now the principal residence of King Willem Alexander and Queen Máxima.

It wasn't until the 1990s that part of Horrix's work was identified. Although the French invaders sold nearly all of the stadholder's collections after 1795, a few marquetry commodes in the Dutch royal collection were recognized as being part of Horrix's deliveries of the late 1760s. Comparison with these rare items led to further attributions, and a stylistic development could be traced that culminates in the lacquer-mounted room at Huis ten Bosch. Cees Paulus van Pauwvliet was deeply interested in this development, and became very keen to own some of Horrix's work. The large and bulbous Louis XV commodes that are typical of the cabinetmaker's early production seem not to have caught his fancy, or may simply have been too big for his apartment. Instead, he acquired a fine group of two marquetry commodes (the present lot and lot 57) and a small secretaire in the Louis XVI manner (lot 55). These can be securely attributed to Horrix because of close stylistic affinities with documented pieces. Inevitably, there is now a trend to attribute any fine piece of Dutch marquetry furniture to Horrix, especially when it is inlaid with lacquer panels. However, Paulus van Pauwvliet went for the best; typically, he was so interested in the whole issue that he also bought a marquetry secretaire in the French manner that clearly is not by Horrix, but by an anonymous, perhaps slightly less gifted Dutch maker (lot 54).

On Matthijs Horrix and his work, see Reinier Baarsen, 'In de commode tot Parijs tot Den Haag', Matthijs Horrix (1735-1809), een meubelmaker in Den Haag in de tweede helft van de achttiende eeuw, Oud Holland 107 (1993), pp. 161-255.
This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: * TP Y
* VAT on imported items at a preferential rate of 5% on Hammer Price and the prevailing rate on Buyer's Premium.
TP For auctions held in Scotland: Lots will be moved to an offsite storage location (Constantine, Constantine House, North Caldeen Road, Coatbridge ML5 4EF, Scotland, UK) and will only be available for collection from this location at the date stated in the catalogue. Please refer to the catalogue for further information.

For all other auctions: Lots will be moved to an offsite storage location (Cadogan Tate, Auction House Services, 241 Acton Lane, London NW10 7NP, UK) and will only be available for collection from this location at the date stated in the catalogue. Please note transfer and storage charges will apply to any lots not collected after 14 calendar days from the auction date.
Y Subject to CITES regulations when exporting items outside of the UK, see clause 13.

In good restored condition.
Marquetry appear to have been re-engraved.
The mounts likely to have been re-gilded.
Some repairs and replacements to the veneer including probably a number of veneered dental mouldings.
Re-polished.
Minor discolouration to the surface and use of hard wax filler.
The marble appears to be original.
One key.
Shelf possibly replaced.
Repairs to the internal elements and to the carcass, including to the inside of the door.
Minor chips, scuffs, dents and scratches consistent with gentle use by the vendor.