The Collections supported by Leeds Art Fund

A lacquer secretaire made by Thomas Chippendale for the State Bedroom at Harewood House.

Fall front secretaire (‘Lady’s Secretary’) Pine etc, veneered with Chinese lacquer and japanned. Assembled by Thomas Chippendale (1718 – 1779) for the State Bedroom at Harewood House, 1773.

This exquisite piece of furniture re-interprets the French form in the English neo-Classical style. The imported Chinese lacquer panels were supplied by Edwin Lascelles of Harewood House to be made up into furniture by Chippendale who made up matching additional parts for the top and interior. He described it as a Lady’s Secretary and charged £26 for the work. It stood against the green silk damask of the State Bedroom and was en suite with other lacquer pieces: a pier commode and two cabinets on stands. An identically configured secretaire in satinwood and marquetry was supplied to the State Dressing Room next door.

Chippendale’s commission for Harewood which lasted over 30 years was worth approximately £10,000 was probably the most lavish furnishing scheme anywhere in 18th century England. A second almost identical secretaire, possibly veneered with the residue of Lascelles’ Chinese lacquer, was supplied to Robert Child of Osterley Park, Middlesex. Bought after a temporary Export Licence Deferral by a large consortium of benefactors including the Leeds Art Fund in memory of Christopher Gilbert, Keeper, Temple Newsam 1961 – 83 and Director of Leeds Art Galleries 1983 – 95 (1999.0018).

A cabinet made for a collector, the upper part of the cabinet is fitted with thirty shallow drawers.

A cabinet of upright rectangular design in two stages separated by a narrow ledge. The upper stage is enclosed by architecturally styled double doors and the frieze is carved with floral swags and ribbons. The upper part is fitted with thirty drawers, with sliding shelves above. The doors of the lower part of the cabinet are enhanced by crossbanding and corner rosettes.

The interior of the lower stage also has grooves for shelves and contains a deep tray, which travels forward on brass rollers. The sides and doors of the cabinet are of solid mahogany, the panelled back and internal partitions of oak and the top and baseboards of pine. The cabinet was bought by the LACF in 1960. (Gilbert, C., Furniture at Temple Newsam House and Lotherton Hall.