Offered by Galerie Gilles Linossier
Chest of drawers in veneers opening with five drawers in three rows, concealing all the crosspieces, only underlined by a bronze astragal. Projecting rear uprights and rounded recessed front uprights finished with arched feet. Satin decoration in amaranth frames underlined with nets, forming reserves for the bronzes. Ornamentation of chiseled bronzes gilded: astragalus, falls, staples, clogs, laurel rings and pellets. Saint Anne gray marble molded with a cavetto. The three locks of the drawers in the first row are called "tails": that is to say that the bolts lock downwards.
The state of conservation of this chest of drawers is very good: the veneers are still very thick. We can even deduce that it has not been restored since its manufacture. The production of Jean Henri Riesener presents several phases. The one that is the most famous is located for 10 years where it supplies the Court and especially Queen Marie Antoinette. Our chest of drawers corresponds to a period before 1774 when he received the title of Ordinary Cabinetmaker of La Couronne - probably between 1768 and 1774.
The model is famous and was declined in several forms, two of which are kept at the Palace of Versailles. A chest of drawers opening with three drawers was delivered in 1779 for the bathroom of Madame Elisabeth, daughter of Louis XV and a larger chest of drawers opening with five drawers is currently visible in the small apartments.
According to Pierre Kjellberg in his reference work on French furniture, Riesener is: "The undisputed master of Louis XVI furniture by the breadth and diversity of his work, by the exceptional quality of his fabrications, by the unequaled sumptuousness of the works ordered by the court, of which he was the official supplier for more than ten years."
Stamped by J. H. Riesener - Master on January 23, 1768. Transition Period.
High. : 86.5 Width. : 102 prof. : 52.5cm.
