Boulle and the 4th Marquess
The story behind the Wallace Collection's stunning Boulle furniture and the discerning eye of the 4th Marquess.
Detail of Mantel Clock (1715) by Attributed to André-Charles Boulle and Jean Jolly, Movement Maker The Wallace Collection
The collection at Hertford House contains some of the finest furniture ever made, and nowhere is this more apparent than in the work of André-Charles Boulle, Louis XIV’s chief cabinetmaker.
The 4th Marquess of Hertford, a founder of the Wallace Collection, was one of the most important collectors of the 19th century. He had a great passion for the Boulle's furniture.
During this period, Boulle’s name was applied broadly to works by both the cabinetmaker and his contemporaries, as well as later copies and pastiches.
Knee-hole writing table (18th Century) by Attributed to Bernard I van Risenburgh The Wallace Collection
Hertford operated within this environment cautiously. Suspicious of dealers who made objects ‘half new and half old,’ he preferred to buy at auction through agents, rarely attending sales in person.
Untitled (1800) The Wallace Collection
Collecting Boulle furniture was a family affair, and Hertford acquired several works from his father following his death in 1842.
Large Drawing Room (2022) by Unknown The Wallace Collection
Most of his Boulle furniture was kept at Hertford House in London. This was almost certainly acquired in England, reflecting the popularity of French decorative arts with British collectors following the Revolution.
One Boulle wardrobe came from the magnificent collection of the 2nd Duke of Buckingham and Chandos, whose financial difficulties caused its sale. Queen Victoria had used the wardrobe when visiting the duke in 1845.
Detail of Mantel Clock (1715) by Attributed to André-Charles Boulle and Jean Jolly, Movement Maker The Wallace Collection
Hertford had a smaller number of Boulle works in his Parisian apartment on the rue Laffitte, clocks and a console table among them.
Detail of Pedestal Clock (1720/1725) by Attributed to André-Charles Boulle and Louis Mynuël, Movement Maker The Wallace Collection
He valued condition as well as authorship. Boulle marquetry is fragile, and he authorised restorations and alterations.
And when important works of Boulle furniture were unattainable, he commissioned copies using his access to the finest craftspeople and the courts of Britain and France.
Detail of Wardrobe (1700) by Attributed to André-Charles Boulle and Jacques Dubois, Restorer The Wallace Collection
The result was a substantial and carefully assembled group of furniture reflecting both 18th-century craftsmanship and 19th-century collecting practice. Continue exploring with our Boulle microsite .
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