Pair of caned armchairs by René Cresson, Paris circa 1740

Rare pair of armchairs with flat backs in finely carved beech wood.
The "ear" backs are made of three rocaille clasps edged with scrollwork, and acanthus "cockscomb" falls on the uprights.
The joints of the backrests and rear legs are concealed by scrollwork.
The "whiplash" armrests are delicately carved with shells and acanthus leaves.
The seat rests on four arched legs ending in small spiral scrolls.
The front legs are adorned with acanthus leaves perforating the wood, falling and echoing the leaf above the scroll.
The front crossbar is adorned across its entire width with a cockscomb acanthus and centered with a split pomegranate. The side rails are gracefully fretted and decorated with a foliage scroll.

The two original frames are stamped "RC" for René Cresson*.

Perfectly preserved, with no grafting or pitting, and a beautiful patina.

Canework and leather upholstery restored by our workshops.

Work of René Cresson, known as Cresson l'Ainé, Paris, early part of the reign of Louis XV, circa 1730-1740.

Dimensions:

Height: 94 cm; Width: 67 cm; Depth: 45 cm

Similar model on page 241 of the book "Le mobilier français du 18ème siécle" by Pierre Kjellberg, formerly part of the Galerie Perrin collection.

René Cresson (circa 1705-before 1749) – chair carpenter – master's degree obtained on January 28, 1738: Born into a prominent family of carpenters, René Cresson produced only a small number of works with his stamp.
René Cresson came from a long line of chair carpenters of that name, all members of the same family. He was the son of Jean Cresson, the elder brother of Louis and Michel. His sister married one of his colleagues, Jean Nadal. He had a son, also a carpenter, named Nicolas Michel. He worked on Rue de Cléry, under the name "Saint-Nicolas." He left behind only a small number of works bearing his stamp, "Cresson l'Aîné." He created several large armchairs à la reine decorated with pomegranates and gadrooned leaves in a softened Regency style, as well as caned chairs and armchairs with similar motifs.

Our opinion:
With their winged backs and their still very Regency rocaille decorations, the armchairs we present are typical of René Cresson's style.
The purity and lightness of the forms combined with fine and precise carving are the main qualities that have earned him a very high reputation. His "Cresson l'Ainé" stamp is extremely rare, as it was probably used for only a few years, between the promulgation of the stamping obligation in 1743 and his death, which occurred before 1749.
Like many great cabinetmakers and joiners from the early reign of Louis XV, he used, before this date, an iron with his "RC" monogram, which can be found on some very fine Regency-style armchairs.
On this type of chair, it is extremely rare to find the original seat frames, given that they are removable and regularly removed for cane repairs.
The perfect integrity of the shafts allows us to present this pair of armchairs in an optimal manner, with a sublime patina that scholars of the Age of Enlightenment called "hare fur."