IN THE MUSEUMS

Chest of drawers – Louis XV

This chest of drawers was made in polychrome lacquered wood veneering.
It features two drawers at the front. It is decorated with engraved openwork gilded bronze ornaments. It has an Aleppo breccia marble top.

Stamped by Mathieu Criaerd. Circa 1745-1750

Donated by Mr and Ms René Grog-Carven.
Musée du Louvre, Paris.

This chest of drawers, which was made by Mathieu Criaerd, is a testament to the Grog-Carvens’ appreciation for beautiful 18th-century furniture pieces.
It was made between 1745 and 1750. It is a prime example of the Louis XV style. The artist drew inspiration from the “chinoiserie” style and created inlayed panels made with polychrome lacquer. The lacquers were either made in the Far East or crafted in vernis martin by French craftsmen. The lacquered panels are surmounted by engraved openwork gilded bronze designs which frame the chest of drawers. Elegant leaves adorn the front. Along the edges, Mathieu Criaerd included several stones which are adorned with palms, flowers and other natural elements.
These bronze ornaments contrast with the darker elements in this piece of furniture, as does the Aleppo breccia marble top, which complements the rest of the piece.
Criaerd created a beautiful artwork where bronze and lacquered ornaments blend together beautifully.