Exceptional chest of drawers "Aux Guerriers". After Jean-Henri Riesener. France, ca.1890.

Exceptional chest of drawers "Aux Guerriers". After JEAN HENRI RIESENER (France, 1734-1806). France, ca.1890.
Oak and fruitwood, amaranth marquetry, gilt bronzes.
Brèche d'Alep marble top.
The original piece is preserved in the Condée Museum of the Chateau de Chantilly, France.
Measurements: 100 x 214 x 81 cm.

This is an exceptional work of cabinetmaking: a sumptuous commode of "en demi-lune" (crescent moon) typology and of royal inspiration, known as "Aux Guerriers". This piece, dated around 1890, is a superb testimony to the virtuosity achieved by Parisian craftsmen in the late 19th century, who, imbued with a historicist spirit, sought to emulate and pay homage to the glories of the furniture of the Ancien Régime. The furniture is a recreation of extraordinary fidelity and quality of the famous original model that the great ébéniste du roi, Jean-Henri Riesener, conceived in 1775 for the bedroom of Louis XVI at the Palace of Versailles, whose archetype is now kept in the Condé Museum at the Château de Chantilly.

Of monumental proportions, the structure of the furniture, made of oak and fruit wood, is covered with an elegant amaranth marquetry, whose subtle veining creates a latticed background. The central body, which houses two large drawers assembled with a hidden crossbar so as not to interrupt the composition, is presided over by a large figurative panel. In it, a delicate polychrome marquetry gives life to a classic vase from which emanates an exuberant bouquet of flowers, symbol of abundance and beauty.

The structure is enhanced by a complex iconographic program materialized in mercury-gilded bronzes. Festoons and foliate garlands descend gracefully, while playful cherubs flank the composition, adding a touch of lightness and rococo charm. On the side panels are two majestic military trophies, which allude to the power and glory of the monarchy.

The sculptural display is concentrated mainly in the corners of the piece of furniture, where four mythological and allegorical figures of round bulk act as symbolic caryatids. We identify Mars, god of war, ready with his spear and shield; and Hercules, brandishing his mace. Next to them stand the personifications of two virtues: Prudence (wisdom) and Temperance (moderation), indispensable qualities for the good government of a monarch.

The lower skirt, with a sinuous profile, culminates in a deep blue globe, dotted with golden fleurs-de-lis (emblem of the house of Bourbon), resting on a bed of acanthus leaves and cornucopias. The piece sits on four sturdy fluted truncated conical legs ending in claw feet on acanthus leaves.

The top is of Brèche d'Alep marble, with its sumptuous play of yellow, reddish and gray tones, and finished with a double perimeter molding.

Considered the most celebrated cabinetmaker of the 18th century, Jean-Henri Riesener's work exemplified the early neoclassical "Louis XVI style". Despite his German origin, at the age of 20 he moved to Paris, where he was apprenticed to Jean-François Oeben. He was received as a master ébéniste in January 1768. The following year he began supplying furniture for the Crown and in July 1774 he formally became "ébéniste ordinaire du roi". His creations had a finer finish than those of many of his Parisian contemporaries, and he attempted to disguise the heads of the screws that held his mounts with hanging details of foliage. Even during his lifetime he was a successful cabinetmaker and was responsible for some of the richest examples of Louis XVI furniture. Among his most select clientele were Marie Antoinette, the Count and Countess of Provence, the Count d'Artois and the Dukes of Penthièvre, de la Rochefoucauld, Choiseul-Praslin. The expectation it has aroused over the years has led curators and conservators to initiate a research project on his works. A close examination of the thirty pieces of Riesener furniture from the three collections, along with art historical and archival research, revealed much that was previously unknown about the materials and techniques the cabinetmaker used, as well as his workshop practices. The Project also explored the development of Riesener's furniture market in the 19th century and the influence his designs and cabinetmaking techniques had on later furniture makers.