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  Commode (chest of drawers) by Jean-Henri Riesener, copied from 1882 Hamilton Palace sale catalogue  
                 
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© National Museums of Scotland 		 

Formerly in Hamilton Palace, South Lanarkshire, now in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA

Jean-Henri Riesener made this magnificent commode and its matching secretaire for Queen Marie-Antoinette in 1783.

After the Revolution, both pieces passed into the important collection of George Watson Taylor (1770-1841), which was built up in less than a decade using a sugar fortune inherited by Watson Taylor's wife in 1815. They were acquired by Alexander, 10th Duke of Hamilton, after Watson Taylor's financial collapse in 1832. The 10th Duke placed the secretaire and commode in the 'Dressing Room' of Hamilton Palace and either retained or upgraded the black marble tops that were on them at the time of the Watson Taylor sale. Later, he seems to have displayed the secretaire in the New State Boudoir and the commode in the Old State Drawing Room.

  
                 
 

Both items were bequeathed to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, by William Kissam Vanderbilt in 1920, and the Museum subsequently replaced the black marble with white marble that approximated to the original tops of marbre blanc vainé. Although Watson Taylor and the 10th Duke evidently preferred black marble, white marble contrasts with the black lacquer and provides a much better visual finish. Understandably, the Met has made no attempt to recreate the gilt bronze balustrade or rail that decorated the very top of the secretaire.

  
                 
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