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Lot Essay
This exquisite petite encoignure of rare small-scale with retrained ormolu mounts directly relate to the oeuvre of Jean-Henri Riesener (1734-1806).
Of German origin like many of his fellow ébénistes, Riesener is arguably the greatest ébénistes of the Louis XVI period; he brought the art of French cabinet-making to a level of near perfection. In this encoignure appears the influence of Jean-François Oeben, in whose atelier Riesener worked several years before assuming control after Oeben's death.
Celebrated for his pieces showing marquetry embellished by heavy ormolu-mounts, the oeœuvre of Jean-Henri Riesener also includes more restrained pieces showing a choice of perfect veneers associated with refined ormolu mounts, like the corner étagères sold Christie's London, 10 June 2004, lot 128. From 1774, the date of his appointment as ébéniste du Roi, Riesener supplied the Royal family with several spectacular items of furniture. He supplied to the Crown related encoignures, however of larger scale.
The characteristic escutcheon is of a model much employed by Riesener. Related mounts, with a central shield-shaped ornament flanked by foliage appear on many of his creations, including a secrétaire en cabinet illustrated in P. Kjellberg, Le Mobilier Français du XVIIIe siècle, Paris, 1998, p. 705.
Of German origin like many of his fellow ébénistes, Riesener is arguably the greatest ébénistes of the Louis XVI period; he brought the art of French cabinet-making to a level of near perfection. In this encoignure appears the influence of Jean-François Oeben, in whose atelier Riesener worked several years before assuming control after Oeben's death.
Celebrated for his pieces showing marquetry embellished by heavy ormolu-mounts, the oeœuvre of Jean-Henri Riesener also includes more restrained pieces showing a choice of perfect veneers associated with refined ormolu mounts, like the corner étagères sold Christie's London, 10 June 2004, lot 128. From 1774, the date of his appointment as ébéniste du Roi, Riesener supplied the Royal family with several spectacular items of furniture. He supplied to the Crown related encoignures, however of larger scale.
The characteristic escutcheon is of a model much employed by Riesener. Related mounts, with a central shield-shaped ornament flanked by foliage appear on many of his creations, including a secrétaire en cabinet illustrated in P. Kjellberg, Le Mobilier Français du XVIIIe siècle, Paris, 1998, p. 705.