André–Charles Boulle was born in Paris 1642. Like his father he trained as a cabinet maker and studied sculpture, painting and drawing in a young age and gained a reputation for his fine designs. He was appointed Royal Cabinetmaker in 1672 by Louis XIV. He had his workshop in the Galeries du Lovre with many commissions for the the royal castles and especially Versailles. His high skill and designs earned him a strong reputaion in Europe and he had a prestigious clientele such as King Philip V of Spain, Maximilian-Emanuel of Bavaria and the Duke of Bourbon to mention some. Working with these expensive materials Boulle was often in financial difficulty and the King Louis XIV had to intervene on several occations to keep the creditors away.