Bonheur du jour - Mahogany

Spectacular bureau / desk, Bonheur du jour style, mahogany and leather, from the Directory period, 19th century France.

Wonderful French mahogany bureau or 'Bonheur du jour' from the early 19th century, with a leather top and upper doors with mirrors.

The piece, entirely crafted from fine mahogany wood, is raised on four straight, square legs. On top of them sits a drop-front surface with an embossed black leather mat, which houses two small compartments on each side and a longer central one. The compartment on the right features a false bottom and a secret drawer at the back. The surface includes two small ink containers on each side. In the upper body, there is a narrow compartment that covers part of the surface, topped by two doors with mirrors, reflecting its function not only as a desk but also as a dressing table. Inside, it has two shelves dividing the space into three sections. All the drawers, like the upper doors, are equipped with locks to secure personal belongings privately.

The happiness of the day

El Bonheur du jour (in French, happiness / joy of the day) is a type of writing desk introduced by Parisian marchand-mercier in the 1760s, characterized by its small size and delicate morphology, as it was originally designed for ladies. It became one of the most popular pieces of furniture in 18th-century France. It is often considered the female counterpart to the secrétaire, with more masculine and voluminous forms.

The first specimens had curved shapes and thin cabriolé legs. Later, the more strict straight lines of Louis XVI style predominated, and the table tops began to be rectangular. Some Bonheurs du jour were even equipped with accessories for makeup and hairstyling. A small auxiliary table with a flat drawer was often used to increase the work surface, or foldable extensions were added.

This piece of furniture tended to be small, lightweight, and easy to move, as it was deliberately created for women to use. They generally follow a very defined structure: usually, it consists of a table with tall, thin legs, whose top supports a small rectangular cabinet, sometimes set back. The table had compartments and storage drawers at the bottom, either open or closed. The upper end was sometimes formed by a gallery, called 'grades,' highly decorated with marquetry or with brass or bronze. It was closed at the top by hinged doors and usually contained drawers or lockers inside. The back was also decorated, as these were not pieces intended to be placed against the wall.

About the Directory Style

During this period, France was experiencing significant political and social changes, which were reflected in furniture with a more rational and functional approach. Symmetry in the drawer design and the balanced proportion of the furniture as a whole are key features of the classical furniture of these times. Unlike earlier styles, such as Rococo, the Directoire style is characterized by more moderate decoration. The drawer handles and legs feature simple geometric details and classical motifs.

The Directory style is a furniture and decoration style that developed in France during the period when the Directory was in effect (1795-1799) and marks the transition between the Louis XVI and Empire styles. It is a neoclassical-inspired style, characterized by the simplicity of its lines, inspired by Roman objects from the 1st century AD, originating from the excavations of Pompeii and Herculaneum. This revival of classical taste was evident in painting, furniture, and fashion, especially in women's clothing.
Technical data
Typology: Daytime Happiness Desk
Style: Directory
Materials: mahogany wood, leather, mirror
Period: Early 19th century
Country of origin: France
Provenance: Private collection
Good condition relative to its age and usage.
Closed dimensions: 168 x 100 x 59 cm.
Open dimensions: 168 x 100 x 76 cm.
Envelope height: 73 cm.