Showrooms

AN EXQUISITE FRENCH ORMOLU MOUNTED SHOWCASE BY FRANCOIS LINKE

Creator: François Linke
Offered by: Arté Gallery

Description
The exquisite French gilt-bronze mounted showcase by the master Francois Linke represents the epitome of luxurious craftsmanship and intricate design. This showcase exudes sophistication, featuring meticulous details that characterize Linke's renowned style.

Its shaped marble top offers an elegant contrast and serves as a regal complement to the showcase. The arched cornice, the bombé glazed door with ornate foliate-cast ormolu frame, and similarly adorned glazed sides allude to the meticulous attention paid to every aspect of this piece. The floral clasps at the angles and the shaped apron embellished with a central 'crab' mount add to the ornamental richness.

Supported by cabriole legs with acanthus-cast sabots, the showcase exudes elegance and grace. The interior's mirrored surface and glass shelves enhance its display capabilities, providing a stunning backdrop for showcasing treasures or collectibles.

Signed by the master artisan F. Linke, this showcase is not only a testament to his craftsmanship but also a statement piece that embodies luxury and sophistication, making it an exceptional addition to any distinguished interior setting.

Signed: F. Linke

Circa 1890

Dimensions

Height: 66.5" (168 cm)
Width: 34.5" (87 cm)
Depth: 17" (43 cm)

Index number 1185

Francois Linke (1855-1946) was undoubtedly the most celebrated Parisian cabinet-maker of his time, The quality of Linke’s craftsmanship was unsurpassed by any of his contemporaries and reached its peak with his spectacular stand at the Paris Exhibition Universelle in 1900, where his Grand Bureau took a gold medal. He gambled his fortune and reputation on this stand, exhibiting several breathtaking items of furniture with sculptural mounts of the most exceptional quality and proportion. His gamble worked and his reputation was established to such an extent that Linke continued to be the pre-emminent house in Paris until the Second World War

The items Linke exhibited in 1900 marked a transition from the historian interpretation of Louis XV and Louis XVI styles, an interpretation that was the main stay of his nearest rivals, to something startlingly new and vital in its immediacy. Together with the sculptor Léon Messagé he developed a style that, whilst paying homage to the Louis XV style in the fluidity of its approach, was infused with the lively flowing lines of the 'art nouveau'

In 1904, he was made officier de l’Instruction publique, and in 1905 he was called to be a member of the Jury of the Liège exhibition. Following his stands in the Saint-Louis exhibition in 1904 and the Liège exhibition in 1905, he was decorated with the highest distinction of France, the Croix de La Légion d’honneur in 1906