Louis XVI-period chest of drawers

Louis XVI-period chest of drawers, made of mahogany and mahogany veneer. It features three drawers in three rows; the fluted sides extend into tapered legs, with gilded bronze ornamentation. Top in Turquin Blue marble. In very fine original condition, Condition report and technical photographs available upon request. H. 96.5 cm - W. 128.5 cm - D. 60 cm Stamped E.AVRIL Etienne Avril was granted master status on November 23, 1774 Known as “Avril the Elder” to avoid confusion with his brother Pierre, Etienne Avril opened his main shop on Rue de Charenton, at the corner of Rue Moreau, as well as several other shops near Porte Saint-Antoine. He was sought after for numerous commissions, notably by Queen Marie-Antoinette for her apartment at the Château de Saint-Cloud. During his career as a cabinetmaker, Etienne Avril sold “a large number of chests of drawers, console tables, bookcases, writing desks, and chest-of-drawers in mahogany and Indian wood, as well as nightstands, …”. His furniture was most often made of mahogany and satinwood. It is characterized by clean, simple lines and large, smooth surfaces, typical of the Louis XVI style. Avril’s body of work also includes, though in smaller quantities, furniture made of lemonwood veneer, rosewood, and a few pieces featuring geometric marquetry. The forms are clean, light, and well-proportioned; bronze fittings are almost absent, visible only at the lock openings and occasionally in the form of thin framing strips that emphasize the furniture’s architectural lines. Finally, although less common, he produced a few side tables and tric-trac tables in mahogany. At the dawn of the Revolution, Etienne Avril sold his shop on Rue de Charenton, retaining only the stores at Porte Saint-Antoine. After his death, several auctions—each lasting several days—were held to clear out the countless items of merchandise he had accumulated. MUSEUMS Louis XVI mahogany cabinet framed in ebony—Fontainebleau Palace Small Louis XVI cabinet with two drawers, rosewood veneer—Marmottan Museum – Paris Oval chiffonier table, resting on slightly arched legs and featuring a drawer in the waistband and a kidney-shaped shelf between the legs. The tops of the legs are decorated with triglyphs. The white marble top is surrounded by a gilded, openwork bronze molding. The feet are fitted with casters. - No. MAD1504 - Musée des Arts Décoratifs - Lyon