Offered by GSLR Antiques
Large chest of drawers curved on the 3 sides with pinched front jambs. Entirely veneered with marble top
.Beautiful ornamentation of chiselled and gilded bronzes which seems to be the original one. It opens by 5 drawers, 2 under the belt with a drawer hidden in the frame in between, two larger ones in rows 2 and 3.
Parisian work of the 1740s, it is stamped 3 times with M CRIAERD with the punches of jurande JME.
Mathieu Criaerd, master in 1738 is one of the greatest Parisian cabinetmakers of the Louis XV period. Like many of his colleagues, he comes from a dynasty of cabinetmakers (1 brother and 2 sons in the trade), but he was the most talented and fruitful member of this family. He was a sub-contractor for Oeben and many Mercier merchants (Hébert and Gilles Joubert) and also worked for the royal furniture repository.
His productions are present in the greatest museums, his most spectacular work is without a doubt this admirable Louis XV commode in blue lacquer, one of the most important pieces of the decorative arts department at the Louvre museum.
Our tomb-shaped chest of drawers in dark wood veneer is one of the first productions of the cabinetmaker, in the early 1740s.
It is interesting to make a comparative analysis of Criaerd's known chests of drawers and to realize that other chests of drawers are "on the same template", i.e. the same structure with pinched uprights, but different from ours because of the marquetry pattern and the bronzes chosen. In a way, a "mass production" of the 18th century, personalized according to the taste of the cabinetmaker or to the customer's request.
Very nice original condition with old restorations. The marble is intact, the chest of drawers has been completely restored with a real varnish stamped redone in the traditional way.
Beautiful piece of furniture in excellent condition.
Height: 84 cm
Width: 133cm with the marble (125cm without the marble)
Depth: 64cm
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