Folding card table (table de jeu brisée en angle) ca. 1755-65 Attributed to Bernard II van Risenburgh In mentioning cards, I ought to observe, that.. the French learn to play not barely for amusement, but also with a view to advantage; and, indeed, you seldom meet with a native of France, whether male or female, who is not a complete gamester, well versed in all the subtleties and finesses of the art.— Tobias Smollett, Travels through France and ItalyAs gaming was the principal indoor diversion of eighteenth-century France, a variety of tables was created, often for specific games like three-handed ombre or tri, piquet, or brelan. A description of one example in Lazare Duvaux’s account book suggests that this elegant folding table was used for quadrille. On August 9, 1753, the dealer sold a solid mahogany quadrille table "I" (folding on the diagonal), embellished with gilt bronze, and lined with cloth, to Madame de Pompadour for 85 livres.1When closed, the Museum’s table has a tria