A French late Louis XVI period, mahogany guéridon “a double plateau” attributed to Jean-Henri Riesener. The guéridon is made of mahogany with fine brass fluting and mounts. The “carrara” top is set in a pierced bronze gallery on fluted, columnar legs with a prominently curved tripod on casters and has a fluted, columnar support.

The high craftsmanship of this guéridon suggests the work of an important Parisian workshop, especially that of Riesener, who with his innovative design, shaped the neoclassical style of French furniture.

Jean-Henri Riesener

Jean-Henri Riesener (1734-1806) was a poor German immigrant who married the widow of his former master, Jean-François Oeben, and later became one of the most celebrated ébénistes of late eighteenth-century Paris. In 1769, Riesener began to supply the Garde-Meuble de la Couronne (the Furniture Warehouse of the Crown); five years later he received the official title of ébéniste du roi (Cabinetmaker to the King). Almost immediately, he began supplying richly decorated pieces covered with mahogany veneers, floral marquetry, and gilt bronze mounts. Commissions from Louis XVI, Marie-Antoinette, and many noble families made him a wealthy man.

Vetted Antique Shows/Fairs
The International Fine Art and Antique Dealers Show, New York, NY, 2008

Provenance
Paris, France
Private Collection, Paris, France
Mary Helen McCoy Fine Antiques, Memphis, Tennessee