Known as a "Bonheur-du-jour", bearing the portrait of the Imperial family of Emperor Franz I. (12 Feb 1768 Florence - 2 March 1835 Vienna), signed and dated "Bernard Guerhard 1808", oil on canvas 55 x 72 cm. Made in mahogany, with ebonised contouring and filigree work, with gilt bronze applications. The table tapering towards the front, with a drawer in solid yew, set on 4 tapering legs, the tableau section on a moulded scrolled base with cornice, the body of this section with interior drawer and pigeon holes. Ca. 170 x 100.5 x 54 cm. In cared-for condition. (PZ)

Bernhard von Guérard (Dusseldorf, 1771 – Naples, 1836). The son of a doctor from Lothringen, he devoted himself to painting following studies in jurisprudence. In 1793 he turned down a summons from London, and instead travelled to Vienna as companion of Prince Auersberg. There he immediately established a reputation for himself as portraitist for the imperial family and higher aristocracy.

The sitters are: Emperor Franz I. (1768-1835) with his third wife Maria Ludovica (1787-1816), who married in 1808 (the year in which this table was produced) and their eight children: to the right, at the back seven-year-old Marie Luise (1791-1847), later Empress of the French, with her sister the seven-year-old Karolina Ferdinanda (1801-1832), later Queen of Saxony, and her brother the fifteen-year-old heir to the throne, Ferdinand (1793-1875), later Emperor Ferdinand I. To the left in the picture is seated the four-year-old Maria Anna (1804-1858), holding out her hand to her brother Franz Karl (1802-1878), who is two years older than her, and will be the father of Emperor Franz Joseph. At the back, the two girls embracing are Maria Klementina (1798-1881) at the age of ten and Leopoldine(1797-1826), later Empress of Brazil, who is a year older. On the lap of the Empress is the three-year-old Johann Nepomuk (1805-1809).

The "Bonheur du jour" was originally a combination of writing desk and dressing table and enjoyed great popularity in the 18th century in the French boudoir. The lady of the house of the nobility and fine society often spent the entire morning in the dressing room or bedroom, attending to her toilette, dealing with correspondence or receiving private visitors. Hence the name of this type of furniture as "daytime delight".