The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Art Object

The Roentgens' Rolltop Desk

Watch as this desk's hidden features are revealed.

The richly embellished surface of this rolltop desk conceals a wealth of mechanical surprises and features, including a spectacular arrangement of almost forty compartments and drawers. Abraham (1711–1793) and David Roentgen (1743–1807) designed this table not just for writing and reading but also to function as a dressing table, or poudreuse.

This table, from Hillwood Estate, Museum & Gardens in Washington, D.C., is featured in the exhibition Extravagant Inventions: The Princely Furniture of the Roentgens (on view October 30, 2012–January 27, 2013).

Learn more about this object: http://trio.hillwoodmuseum.org/detail.php?t=objects&type=related&kv=13072

Footage courtesy of Hillwood Estate, Museum & Gardens.

David Roentgen: Long-Case Clock
(00:00:52)

The Roentgens' Berlin Secretary Cabinet
(00:02:20) 10632 views

Rolltop Desk by David Roentgen: Demonstration
(00:02:17) 16720 views

Rolltop Desk by David Roentgen: Animation
(00:01:00) 3016 views

Cassone

Date:: ca. 1900
Culture:: Italian (Florence)
Medium:: Walnut
Dimensions:: 34-1/4 x 75 x 29 in. (87.0 x 190.5 x 73.7 cm)
Classification:: Woodwork
Credit Line:: Gift of Walter S. Marvin, Esq., 1957
Accession Number:: 57.132

This artwork is not on display

Provenance

Davanzati Palace, Florence, Italy (possibly)possibly Davanzati Family ; Count Elia Volpi (until 1917; sale, American Art Galleries, New York, December 17 –19, 1917, no. 480; to Hamilton); Carl W. Hamilton (1917–28) ; Walter S. Marvin , Esq. (until 1957; to MMA)
See also
What
Wood (7,651)

Furniture (5,725)

Woodwork (2,582)

Walnut (909)

Case furniture (874)

Chests (335)

Cassoni (48)
Where
Europe (148,586)

Italy (20,983)

Tuscany (1,162)

Florence (506)
In the Museum
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts (43,257)
Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History
Italian Peninsula, 1900 A.D.–present

Southern Europe, 1800–1900 A.D.
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