Jacques Dubois (born France, 1694–1763)
Paris
Writing Desk
INV-1056
Jacques Dubois (born France, 1694–1763)
Parisc. 1745–49
Writing Desk
Jacques Dubois (born France, 1694–1763) Paris →deskfurniture
Date
c. 1745–49
Medium
Oak, pine, mahogany, kingwood, gesso, paint, gilding, varnish, gilded bronze, leather, pewter, and iron
Dimensions
93.4 × 81.3 × 46.4 cm (36 3/4 × 32 × 18 1/4 in.)
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Location
Chicago, IL
Credit
Purchased with funds provided by Elizabeth R. Vaughan and Mrs. Henry C. Wood; gift of Mrs. Potter Palmer; Robert Allerton, Robert Allerton Surplus, Mary L. Stevenson, Wirt D. Walker, Decorative Arts Purchase, and other funds
Letter writing became a fashionable accomplishment among the aristocratic and professional classes during the 1700s, creating a demand for refined and specialized accessories like this portable writing desk. The desk’s surface is decorated to mimic Asian lacquer, a highly labor-intensive finish made from multiple layers of tree resin. Lacquer’s intense sheen was so admired that European artisans developed local imitations to replicate it. These writing desks served not only as practical tools but also as fashionable symbols of refinement and cultured taste.