La console de Bercy ou l'équilibre retrouvé

Dated around 1710, Bercy gilted-wood console is one of the finest examples of the Parisian production of the time. It was part of the furniture of the grand cabinet on the ground floor of the Bercy palace. The palace was destroyed to build the Gare de Lyon and the furniture sold in 1860. The elaborated crossbow shape and the curves of its legs made the console extremely fragile. Three accidents have been recordered since 1946, the last one in 2014. The article describes the history, the accidents and the complex restoration work performed to ensure proper conservation of this masterpiece.