Jean-Baptiste Courte (1749-1843) Louis XVI period walnut and burl walnut commode Circa 1780
An elegant and decorative chest of drawers in solid walnut and burled walnut veneer, opening with five drawers in three rows, embellished with gilded bronze and brass ornamentation for the handles and escutcheons, rounded fluted uprights terminating in tapered legs and superb open fluted apron.
Beautifully grooved Breche d'Alep marble top.
Our chest of drawers features a secret closing system for the two side drawers at the top.
Louis XVI period chest of drawers stamped Courte on the base of a drawer at the top, received Master on September 20, 1777. A very similar model is reproduced in L'Estampille no. 122 of June 12, 1980.
Sizes: H 33.26 In. - W 50.78 In. - D 24.21 In.
In very good condition and use, a beautiful varnish made in our workshops.
Biography:
Jean-Baptiste Courte or Kurt (September 20, 1749 - April 28, 1843), cabinetmaker, mastered his art in Dijon on September 20, 1777. His furniture often resembles that of Demoulin. They are Louis XVI commodes and secretaries.
Jean Baptiste Courte hails from Meidelsen, Germany, where his father was a carpenter and most likely a Protestant. His name Kurt became Courte.
After obtaining his master's degree in 1777, he was required to pay 15 livres for the right of "habitandage and opening of the profession".
He then practiced in Dijon, first on rue Charrue, then rue Piron. He married the daughter of cabinetmaker Philippe Sesseley, thanks to whom he perfected his craft.
He had two children, Pierre and Antoine, as well as two nephews, Jean and Nicolas, themselves cabinetmakers, but they did not become a dynasty like the Demoulin family.
According to Catherine Gras, the furniture he produced often resembled that of his Dijon colleague Jean Demoulin, although it is not known whether they worked in collaboration.
He stamped COURTE on the base of a commode upright or on the outside of drawers near the locks. He is known for his Louis XVI marquetry furniture, mainly commodes and commode desks.
Musée des Beaux-Arts de Dijon:
Louis XVI chest of drawers with three rows of drawers, decorated with simple marquetry fillets, stamped by Courte.
Louis XVI chest of drawers with two leaves simulating drawers, the crosspiece separating the bottom drawers is concealed, butterfly-wing frieze veneer.
Bibliography:
L’ébénisterie provinciale en France au XVIIIe siècle et Abraham Nicolas Couleru – Bernard Deloche et Jean-Yves Mornand – Éditions Faton – 2011.
Le Mobilier Français du XVIIIème Siècle – Pierre Kjellberg – Les Éditions de l’Amateur – 2002.
Demoulin et Courte, Ébénistes Dijonnais – Catherine Gras – L’Estampille, juin 1980.
