The conservation of two pietre dure and gilt-bronze-mounted cabinets made by Domenico Cucci for Louis XIV

Abstract

Two ebony cabinets, each over 3 m tall and decorated with elaborate pietre dure panels, commissioned by Louis XIV, designed by Charles Le Brun, made at the Manufacture des Gobelins by Domenico Cucci and delivered to the Palace of Versailles in 1683, are the only fully documented and surviving Sun King cabinets, and are among the richest ever made. This is the first conservation treatment since 1823. Both had lifting inlays. Conservation combined analysis of the original adhesive with traditional techniques, to address numerous problems, in particular the re-application of the pietre dure (hard-stone) decoration and the challenge of matching then modifying the original wax-based adhesive. This offered a good and reliable treatment without compromising the quality or reversibility of the conservation work or the stability of the object.

Keywords:

• Conservation
• Pietre dure
• Hard-stone marquetry
• Ebony cabinets
• Cucci
• Louis XIV

Acknowledgements

The author is grateful to Clare Baxter, Lisa Little, and his Grace the Duke of Northumberland, at Alnwick Castle, and the advisory panel comprising Lady Victoria Fellowes; Bertrand Rondot, Château de Versailles; Christopher Rowell, The National Trust; Sarah Medlam and Nigel Bamforth, The Victoria and Albert Museum, London.

He also thanks the conservation department at the Opificio delle Pietre Dure, Florence, for their warm welcome and invaluable advice during this project.

Ursula Baumer, Doerner Institut, Munich for GC-MS; Parisian artisans who still specialize in making pietre dure marquetry; and the employees of Yannick Chastang Conservation.