Roger Vandercruse, called Lacroix, maître in 1755.
Lacroix was one of the first Parisian ébénistes to use large veneers of light wood such as bois satiné and bois citronnier for his marquetry tables, bonheur-du-jours and secrétaires, thereby emphasizing the natural contrast of the clear timber against the richly-colored ebony, amaranth or green-stained fruitwood. He was a precursor in the art of using citronnier as a fond for his marquetry à quadrillage, à fleurons or à lambrequin, a stylistic approach which would only become en vogue again half a century later under Charles X. What is perhaps the most characteristic element of this avant-garde style is the swirling acanthus, or rosace pivotante to use the expression of P. Kjellberg, a medallion version of which is featured on both the top and lower tier of the present lot. A rectangular table with almost identical rosette marquetry and trompe l’oeil inlay to the legs by RVLC sold Christie’s, Paris, 22 June 2005, lot 154.

Roger Vandercruse, known as Lacroix (maître in 1755), was born the son of the ouvrier libre François van der Cruse in 1728. In 1755 Roger took over his father's business and was soon supplying furniture to the ébéniste Pierre II Migeon, the marchand-mercier Simon-Philippe Poirier and directly to Madame du Barry at Louveciennes, as well as the Garde-Meuble and the duc d'Orléans.