Understated Elegance

When it comes to these elements of simplicity and linearity, once again the lacquer panels applied on the secretary seem to be in conversation with the design. The lacquer is present in four relatively small plates, which are arranged geometrically and display much of the brown woods of the secretary. What’s more, the lacquer panels are applied onto the wood without any additional decoration, other than the inlays of the wood.

This differs from many drop-front secretaries and commodes made in previous styles decorated with Japanese lacquer, which instead feature heavy use of the color black covering the wood, and gilded ornamentation surrounding the lacquer panels (Fig. 1).

The unornamented appearance and straightforward positioning with which the lacquer panels have been applied also seem to adhere to the ideals of the Louis XVI style.See: Marcmansion](https://www.marcmaison.com/architectural-antiques-resources/louis_xvi_style) In this way, the fall-front secretary creates a unique combination of the inspiration from classical lines and the integration of Japanese decorative elements, which has resulted in an understatedly elegant piece of furniture.