IN THE MUSEUMS : Château de Versailles
Inkstand – Louis XVI era
This inkstand adorned Queen Marie-Antoinette’s desk. It was designed for the Queen’s House in the Hameau du Petit-Trianon in Versailles.
It features the coat of arms of the Garde-Meuble de la Reine, as well as that of the Château de Trianon.
Donated by the Kraemer family
Location: Château de Versailles
This Louis XVI style inkstand is characteristic of its time.
It belonged to Marie-Antoinette and was used to adorn Queen Marie-Antoinette’s desk which was in the Queen’s House in the Hameau du Petit-Trianon, in Versailles.
The gilded, chiselled ornaments contrast with a darker background. The cabinetmaker made it with ebony veneering; he loved this combination. These simple lines contrast with the bronze ornaments that can be found on the friezes. One of them is short and adorns the bottom part of the artwork. The other one decorates each side of the piece and features a series of similar classical patterns. The object sports numerous drawers to store writing instruments. The knob’s delicate curves contrast with the straight lines that can be found on other parts of the inkstand.
This unknown cabinetmaker perfectly understood what was popular in the late 18th century: regular lines and patterns.
