Collection / Commodes & Chests / Commodes
19847
A Pair of Commodes In the Régence Manner by Gervais Durand
A Pair of Commodes In the Régence Manner by Gervais Durand
Dimensions: H: 34.5 in / 87 cm | W: 52 in / 132 cm | D: 24.5 in / 62 cm
PRICE: £85,000
19847
- Crafted by Gervais Durand of Paris in the 1880s, these commodes feature purpleheart and bois satiné with hand-chased gilded bronze mounts and griotte rouge marble tops
- Designed after Charles Cressent, they showcase Rococo-style c-scrolls, floral ormolu pendants, and lockable drawers
- Durand, known for high-quality 18th-century style furniture, exhibited at the 1889 Exposition Universelle, winning a silver medal
After a design by Charles Cressent
Constructed from purpleheart and bois satiné crossbanding, dressed with exceptional hand-chased and gilded bronze mounts, the serpentine commodes rising from cabriole legs shod with scrolling sabots and terminating in foliate espagnolettes, the bowfront panel incorporating a central floral ormolu pendant suspended from c-scrolls overarching both sans-traverse lockable drawers; with griotte rouge shaped and moulded marble platforms. Stamped by the maker "G. Durand."
French, Circa 1880
Gervais-Maximilien-Eugene Durand (b. 1839) et Fils
Specialising in the production of 18th century style furniture of the finest quality, Gervais-Maximilien-Eugène Durand (b. 1839) exhibited at the Exposition Universelle of Paris in 1889, gaining a silver medal, and the praise of the judges, who compared their work with that of Beurdeley and Dasson. With his son Frederic-Louis joining him in 1902, the firm changed its name to Durand et Fils. His work may be seen in the Museum of Decorative Arts of Lyon.
Charles Cressent (1685-1768)
One of a pair of commodes by Cressent, sold Christie's 2014.
Cressent trained as a sculptor and was known for lavishly mounted furniture. His prestigious clients regarded these pieces as works of art rather than functional objects. The 'C-shape' ornamentation is typically Rococo, and creates a unified panel of decoration on the front.
Cressent's business premises included workshops for cabinet-making and metalwork on the ground floor, with three display rooms on the first floor, where Cressent sold pictures as well as furniture, in rooms hung in red damask or green satinade.
Literature:
Pradère, Alexandre, and Charles Cressent. Charles Cressent: sculpteur, ébéniste du Régent. Dijon: Éditions Faton, 2003, p. 283. No. 136-137*, showing the model entitled "Commodes à doubles crosses en 'S' et chute de fleurs - Modèles à poignées en arbalètes."
Kjellberg, Pierre. Le mobilier français du XVIIIe siècle : dictionnaire des ébénistes et des menuisiers. Paris: Editions de l'Amateur, 1989, pp. 222-226, discussing the Cressent series of commodes.
Payne, Christopher. Paris Furniture: The Luxury Market of the 19th Century. Château de Saint-Rémy: Éditions Monelle Hayot, 2018, 338-341, for a discussion of the maker.
You may also like