It is impossible to write, however briefly, of the French furniture of this period without paying some attention to the development of metal work other than "Boulle" as a decorative medium, since the fondeurs and ciseleurs then occupied a position almost as high as that of the ebeniste himself, and were paid munificently for the invaluable aid they afforded the wood worker. It would take long to tell of all that was done by that band of men leading up to Gouthiere who made the metal work of the period what it was; and it is not my privilege to do so here. I must, however, emphasise the fact that they are not for one moment to be confounded with the mere skilled mechanic who presides at the forge, mould, and melting pot in order to see that other men's ideas are properly carried into effect; or with the simple engraver who puts the finishing touches on work already prepared for him." No, they were of a stamp vastly different from that.

They were rarely gifted artists first and craftsmen afterwards, and they only took the trouble to gain a complete mastery over tool, method, and material in order that the fancies of their brain might be translated into concrete form in the exact way they wished; they could not entrust their interpretation to other hands. Full advantage, moreover, was taken of their powers and services, and there need be small wonder that such should have been the case, for they created and produced the daintiest and most charming conceits in metal, and particularly in brass. By the force of their genius and skill, they seemed to inspire it with very life, and we may congratulate ourselves most heartily that they were prepared to work hand in hand with the cabinet maker, and bring their ideas into conformity with his requirements, deeming it not beneath their dignity to devote the best of their endeavours and abilities to the beautification of the common surroundings of daily life. Chefs d'ceuvre in modelling that would now be highly prized, cherished, and proudly displayed as choice works of art in themselves, calling for no other accompaniment to entitle them to positions of honour in any art collection, were then used merely as "mounts" or ornaments, for the ostensible support of a table top, or to decorate the "knee" of a chair leg; and all were characterised by a verve and spontaneity which irresistibly charm us to this very day.

Louis-Quatorze." I. Plate 68

Reference In Text

It should be noted particularly that one of the greatest charms of these brass or ormolu mounts consisted in the frequent introduction of the human head - usually the female head - not conventionalised, nor stiffly posed, as at earlier and later periods, but instinct with all that entrancing grace and abandon which the French pre-eminently always have imparted, and perhaps always will impart, to their modelling and sculpture of the human form.

This ormolu, furthermore, even when regarded from the technical point of view, and if the question of its design be for the moment put aside,. attained as near perfection as was possible. It was not the average "puddingy," lifeless casting of modern commerce; it glowed, sparkled, and scintillated, fresh from the hand of the master, seeming to proclaim in unmistakable accents, "my creation was a labour of love." And why was this? Simply because the execution was entrusted to the most gifted artist-craftsmen that could be found, and because when found they were munificently paid. The price of a single mount, in many instances, would be ample to furnish completely and comfortably many an ordinary house nowadays. We cannot, therefore, institute a comparison between such work and the stock brass mounts of to-day, which are produced according to a stipulated and by no means too generous price, and sold over the wholesale ironmonger's counter at so much "per set." The comparison would not be fair. It is only just, indeed, to say that, even in these so-called degenerate times, French ormolu, as fine as any ever produced even in the palmiest days, can easily be obtained by those who are in a position, and prepared, to pay for it.

Justice cannot possibly be done by mere pen-and-ink sketches to many of these old masterpieces of the metal worker's craft, but their form and character can be indicated by such means, and with that we must, for the time being, rest content.

I will ask the reader, then, to note the massive foliated mounts, with the female head and lion's paws, that apparently support the centre projection in the armoire, Fig. 1, Plate I.; also the figure of the king in old classic garb, and the military trophy above. These are designed after the dignified martial manner common to much "Louis-Quatorze" decoration, and intended to symbolise the military prowess of the monarch, to curry whose approbation and favour it was conceived. There was more than a suggestion of the old "Roman" about it all, a characteristic which later on developed to a remarkable degree in the "Empire," as we shall see in a succeeding chapter.

"Louis-Quatorze." II. Plate 69

Reference in Text. See pages 230, 231, 232

The mounts on the table, Fig. 2, Plate I., are of quite a different character, and belong to a later date, heralding the imminent advent of the "Louis-Quinze"; those of the table, Fig. 2, Plate II., carry us back to an intermediate stage, and recall, in some measure, the heavy classic style. The scrolls of the table legs, Fig. 6, Plate II., also are heavily mounted with brass leafage, and the band of enrichment round the circular top is of the choicest "Boulle." The general form of this table seems to indicate that the piece belongs to a date later than that of the "Louis-Quatorze," but it is stated on good French authority to be an authentic example. We see in it, at all events, the model that inspired the design of many thousands of English centre tables a century or more later.