Dominique Daguerre

Dominique Daguerre is often considered the greatest Parisian dealer of the late Ancien Régime. As a key player in the late-century Anglomania, he also supplied the aristocracy and the court with some of the finest objects of the Neoclassical period.

Daguerre began his career with the marchand mercier Simon-Philippe Poirier (circa 1720-1785), whom he joined in 1772. In 1777, when Poirier retired from business, he took over the management of La Couronne d’or in the Rue Saint-Honoré , recovering his former partner’s clientele. He also benefited from his relationships with the leading craftsmen of the time: Adam Weisweiler (1746-1820) for cabinetmaking, Georges Jacob (1738-1814) for joinery, François Rémond (1747-1812) and Pierre Philippe Thomire (1751-1843) for bronzework. Daguerre then formed several partnerships, first the merchant Francotais from 1779 to 1789, and later with Martin-Éloy Lignereux (1751-1809) from 1789 to 1793. He continued the production of lacquer, porcelain and hardstone veneered furniture that Poirier had initiated and particularly favored. He also quickly developed a distinctive taste, decisive in the change that took place in the decorative arts at the end of the century.

Daguerre was one of the first promoters of Anglomania in Paris. He particularly appreciated Wedgwood porcelain and mahogany, and introduced them widely in France. From 1787 onwards, he became the exclusive representative of the British manufactory in Paris, selling pieces of porcelain alone or having them mounted on furniture. At the same time, Daguerre understood the appeal of his own production to English customers and their unrivaled “French luxury”. In 1789, he opened a boutique in Piccadilly, in the heart of London. Daguerre had already been supplying the Prince of Wales, the future George IV, and his entourage for two years, and provided most of the furniture for Carlton House and the Brighton Pavilion.

His business was particularly successful in France. All of Paris flocked to admire his latest creations, and the Baroness d’Oberkirch wrote in her Memoirs that “you couldn’t get near his store, it was so crowded”. The whole Europe, visiting Paris, bought furniture from him: the future Tsar Paul I in 1782, the King and Queen of Naples, and the Duke of Saxe-Teschen. At the French court, his main client was Queen Marie-Antoinette. For her, he delivered some of her furniture masterpieces, such as the Japanese lacquer and polished steel veneered writing table made in 1784 for her Versailles interior cabinet. The queen seems to have been very close to her dealer: in 1789, when the royal family had to leave Versailles, she entrusted him with the inventorying and preservation of her art collection.

The Revolution destabilized Daguerre’s business, threatening a large part of his clientele. He fled to England, settling in London’s Chelsea district in 1792. With his vaste stock of precious materials, he was still able to oversee the production of important furniture in the years following the storming of the Bastille. This Japanese lacquer secretary, made by Adam Weisweiler for the cabinetmaking and probably François Rémond for the bronzework, is in line with the luxurious furniture he was delivering at the time. The delicacy of the workmanship, the richness of the materials used and the sophisticated design of the piece demonstrate the art of the marchand mercier . The central medallion, particularly innovative for the period, is also characteristic of his taste.

As an inspired visionary with access to the finest materials and the skills of the most talented craftsmen, Daguerre facilitated the creation of certain masterpieces of French art, admired throughout Europe.

Bibliography:

Rose-Marie Herda-Mousseaux (dir.), La Fabrique du luxe : les marchands merciers parisiens au XVIIIe siècle , Musée Cognacq-Jay, 2018