This remarkable wardrobe was crafted in the final quarter of the 18th century, most likely in the northern part of today’s Grand Duchy. It has been attributed to the workshop of cabinet-maker Nicolas Jacques (born in 1713), burgher, master sculptor and cabinet-maker in Wiltz.

Built to be placed in the corner of a room – presumably a living room –, the wardrobe has six doors and two drawers. A longcase clock is mounted above its centre section, the clock casing extending downwards towards a door behind which there are drawers. Not as high, the side sections form obtuse angles with the central panel with the clock. The clock face is signed by Jean Corneille Brembt, clockmaker in Luxembourg City, where he was granted burgher rights in 1762. In the 18th and early 19th centuries, it was common for clockmakers to sign their products: clocks were luxury objects, and the maker’s name warranted the quality of his product – even though clockmakers often did little more than assemble parts they had ordered from abroad. It was also usual for cabinet-makers – who did not sign their work – to make longclock casings, showing how craftsmen often collaborated on individual projects.

In the 18th century, owning a piece of furniture such as this was a symbol of social status, and it is highly likely that this wardrobe was made for a well-to-do burgher family in Wiltz, where several wealthy tanners lived and worked at the time. This luxurious piece of furniture shows the sophistication that could sometimes be encountered in small Luxembourg towns in the late 18th century.

Text | CC BY-NC | Régis Moes