Commode

Denis Genty

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Genty, who worked as a cabinetmaker and as a furniture dealer, foreshadowed in his marquetry decoration the scrolling outline and placement of the Rococo-style mounts. The mounts protected the corners, feet, and keyhole; gave access to the drawers by means of handles; emphasized the serpentine shape of the commode; and added a sculptural element to the piece. Here, half the mounts have been removed to illustrate their importance. Displayed from the back, the separate corner mount shows that only the front side was gilded. The incised mark III matches that on the stile of the commode, indicating that this particular mount was intended for the front right corner.

European Sculpture and Decorative Arts

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The fifty thousand objects in the Museum's comprehensive and historically important collection of European sculpture and decorative arts reflect the development of a number of art forms in Western European countries from the early fifteenth through the early twentieth century. The holdings include sculpture in many sizes and media, woodwork and furniture, ceramics and glass, metalwork and jewelry, horological and mathematical instruments, and tapestries and textiles. Ceramics made in Asia for export to European markets and sculpture and decorative arts produced in Latin America during this period are also included among these works.

Metropolitan Museum of Art