A kidney-shaped small salon table,

in Louis XV style, by French cabinetmaker François LINKE, hardwood frame on cabriole legs, partly veneered with rosewood, marquetry panels and lattice design with various precious woods, with polished finish in traditional artisanal technique, richly chiselled and gilded bronze decorative fittings, top with moulded edging , signed F. Linke on a bronze, 76 x 56 x 36 cm, in beautiful professionally restored condition. (MIN)

The present item is subject to conservation legislation (ASB)

François Linke (1855–1946), one of the most important ébénistes of the Parisian Belle Époque, was born in Pankraz (Bohemia, then part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire). After studying cabinetmaking for two years in Vienna, he first worked in Germany and subsequently, in 1875, moved to France, where he was employed by the renowned ébéniste Antoine Krieger. Following a brief return to Vienna in 1879, he went back to Paris, where in 1881 he established his own workshop. Initially, he produced furniture for his former employer, A. Krieger, but owing to the outstanding quality of his craftsmanship, he rapidly developed his own clientele.
Decisive for the formation of his distinctive style and his swift rise to prominence was his collaboration with the sculptor Léon Messagé, who was responsible for the design of the bronze mounts. Together they presented a collection at the Paris Exposition Universelle of 1900 that brought Linke international fame. He succeeded in fusing the classical Louis XV style with the creative innovations of Art Nouveau. Works by François Linke are represented in all major museums worldwide and remain highly sought after on the art market.

Lit.:
Denise Ledoux-Lebard, Le Mobilier Français du XIX Siecle, pages 440–444