Pierre Golle
Encyclopedia
Pierre Golle was an influential Paris
ian ébéniste
, of Dutch extraction.
Born at Bergen
in the Dutch Republic
, he moved to Paris at an early age, and married the widow of his master, assuming the workshop. Golle was the originator of marquetry
of tortoiseshell
and brass
, named for his son-in-law, André-Charles Boulle, as "Boulle marquetry". The Boulle dynasty of royal and Parisian cabinet-makers endured to the mid-18th century.
Golle had been employed by Cardinal Mazarin before he was taken under royal protection; from 1656 onwards, Golle is described in documents as maître menuisier en ébène ordinaire du roi ("master ebony furniture maker-in-ordinary to the King"). By 1681 he had a woprkshop at the Gobelins Manufactory
. From 1662 he supplied marquetry cabinets and numerous other pieces of case furniture for the use of the King and the Grand Dauphin at Versailles
and other royal châteaux, the most expensive of which were several cabinets delivered over a span of years at the outstanding sum of 6000 livre
s apiece. For the marquetry floor of the Cabinet Doré of the Grand Dauphin
, he was paid 7500 livres; the dazzling interior was swept away in new redecorations after the Dauphin's death in 1711.
Lunsingh Scheurleer identified as Golle's a table and two guéridons en suite, veneered with pewter and brass marquetry, at Knole House
, which were probably diplomatic gifts made by Louis XIV to Lord Sackville
, English ambassador. He identified as from Golle's workshop a similarly decorated desk at Boughton
. Two tripod tea of coffee tables, in première and contre-partie, one in the Royal Collection
, the other in the J. Paul Getty Museum
, have been attributed to Golle by Gillian Wilson.
His son Corneille Golle, emigated after the Revocation of the Edict of Nantes (1685) and by 1689 was working with the London cabinetmaker Gerrit Jensen, supplying marquetry furniture in the latest Parisian taste to the court of William and Mary
. There was some direct exchange with Jensen, for at his death Pierre Golle owed 400 livres to "Sieur Janson, ébéniste à Londres, for English glue.
The Huguenot designer Daniel Marot
married Golle's daughter.
Golle died in Paris in 1684.
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
ian ébéniste
Ébéniste
Ébéniste is the French word for a cabinetmaker, whereas in French menuisier denotes a woodcarver or chairmaker. The English equivalent for "ébéniste," "ebonist," is never commonly used. Originally, an ébéniste was one who worked with ebony, a favoured luxury wood for mid-seventeenth century...
, of Dutch extraction.
Born at Bergen
Bergen, North Holland
Bergen is a municipality and a town in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland. Its North Sea beaches make it a popular destination for tourists, especially Germans. In 2001, the municipality was expanded to include the former municipalities of Egmond and Schoorl.Since about 1900, Bergen...
in the Dutch Republic
Dutch Republic
The Dutch Republic — officially known as the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands , the Republic of the United Netherlands, or the Republic of the Seven United Provinces — was a republic in Europe existing from 1581 to 1795, preceding the Batavian Republic and ultimately...
, he moved to Paris at an early age, and married the widow of his master, assuming the workshop. Golle was the originator of marquetry
Marquetry
Marquetry is the art and craft of applying pieces of veneer to a structure to form decorative patterns, designs or pictures. The technique may be applied to case furniture or even seat furniture, to decorative small objects with smooth, veneerable surfaces or to freestanding pictorial panels...
of tortoiseshell
Tortoiseshell material
Tortoiseshell or tortoise shell is a material produced mainly from the shell of the hawksbill turtle, an endangered species. It was widely used in the 1960s and 1970s in the manufacture of items such as combs, sunglasses, guitar picks and knitting needles...
and brass
Brass
Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc; the proportions of zinc and copper can be varied to create a range of brasses with varying properties.In comparison, bronze is principally an alloy of copper and tin...
, named for his son-in-law, André-Charles Boulle, as "Boulle marquetry". The Boulle dynasty of royal and Parisian cabinet-makers endured to the mid-18th century.
Golle had been employed by Cardinal Mazarin before he was taken under royal protection; from 1656 onwards, Golle is described in documents as maître menuisier en ébène ordinaire du roi ("master ebony furniture maker-in-ordinary to the King"). By 1681 he had a woprkshop at the Gobelins Manufactory
Gobelins manufactory
The Manufacture des Gobelins is a tapestry factory located in Paris, France, at 42 avenue des Gobelins, near the Les Gobelins métro station in the XIIIe arrondissement...
. From 1662 he supplied marquetry cabinets and numerous other pieces of case furniture for the use of the King and the Grand Dauphin at Versailles
Palace of Versailles
The Palace of Versailles , or simply Versailles, is a royal château in Versailles in the Île-de-France region of France. In French it is the Château de Versailles....
and other royal châteaux, the most expensive of which were several cabinets delivered over a span of years at the outstanding sum of 6000 livre
Livré
Livré-la-Touche is a commune in the Mayenne department in north-western France. Prior to October 6, 2008, it was known as Livré....
s apiece. For the marquetry floor of the Cabinet Doré of the Grand Dauphin
Louis, Grand Dauphin
Louis of France was the eldest son and heir of Louis XIV, King of France, and his spouse, Maria Theresa of Spain. As the heir apparent to the French throne, he was styled Dauphin...
, he was paid 7500 livres; the dazzling interior was swept away in new redecorations after the Dauphin's death in 1711.
Lunsingh Scheurleer identified as Golle's a table and two guéridons en suite, veneered with pewter and brass marquetry, at Knole House
Knole House
Knole is an English country house in the town of Sevenoaks in west Kent, surrounded by a deer park. One of England's largest houses, it is reputed to be a calendar house, having 365 rooms, 52 staircases, 12 entrances and 7 courtyards...
, which were probably diplomatic gifts made by Louis XIV to Lord Sackville
Charles Sackville, 6th Earl of Dorset
Charles Sackville, 6th Earl of Dorset and 1st Earl of Middlesex was an English poet and courtier.-Early Life:He was son of Richard Sackville, 5th Earl of Dorset...
, English ambassador. He identified as from Golle's workshop a similarly decorated desk at Boughton
Boughton House
Boughton House is a country house about north-east of Kettering off the A43 road near Geddington in Northamptonshire, England, which belongs to the Duke of Buccleuch.-History:...
. Two tripod tea of coffee tables, in première and contre-partie, one in the Royal Collection
Royal Collection
The Royal Collection is the art collection of the British Royal Family. It is property of the monarch as sovereign, but is held in trust for her successors and the nation. It contains over 7,000 paintings, 40,000 watercolours and drawings, and about 150,000 old master prints, as well as historical...
, the other in the J. Paul Getty Museum
J. Paul Getty Museum
The J. Paul Getty Museum, a program of the J. Paul Getty Trust, is an art museum. It has two locations, one at the Getty Center in Los Angeles, California, and one at the Getty Villa in Pacific Palisades, Los Angeles, California...
, have been attributed to Golle by Gillian Wilson.
His son Corneille Golle, emigated after the Revocation of the Edict of Nantes (1685) and by 1689 was working with the London cabinetmaker Gerrit Jensen, supplying marquetry furniture in the latest Parisian taste to the court of William and Mary
William and Mary
The phrase William and Mary usually refers to the coregency over the Kingdoms of England, Scotland and Ireland, of King William III & II and Queen Mary II...
. There was some direct exchange with Jensen, for at his death Pierre Golle owed 400 livres to "Sieur Janson, ébéniste à Londres, for English glue.
The Huguenot designer Daniel Marot
Daniel Marot
Daniel Marot was a French Protestant, an architect, furniture designer and engraver at the forefront of the classicizing Late Baroque "Louis XIV" style....
married Golle's daughter.
Golle died in Paris in 1684.