Cabinet-maker and bronze-caster (1825-1896)

Louis XVI-style Commode 

France

Stamped H. DASSON and dated 1880

Mahogany, Gilded bronze, Marble

Height : 94 cm (37 in.) ; Width : 152 cm (59,8 in.) ; Depth : 55 cm (21,7 in.)

Exceptional Louis XVI-style commode in flamed mahogany veneer with a slight central bulge, featuring three doors topped by drawers adorned with rich chiseled and mercury-gilded bronze ornamentation depicting ribbon-wrapped branches and garlands of roses. The doors, framed by gilded bronze foliage moldings, are adorned with festoons of flowers, fruits, and leaves suspended from ribbons. The corners are supported by elegant and intricate fluted columns with foliage motifs and lion’s paws, topped with Corinthian capitals. The same decorative motif continues along the sides, which are also adorned with pilasters featuring floral motifs of antique-style vases. The apron is adorned with a wreath of roses surrounded by lily branches. The entire piece rests on six toupie feet with leaf-motif bases and is topped with a Sarrancolin marble top underlined ed by a frieze of ovals.

This commode by Henry Dasson, with its remarkably well-preserved original bronze mounts, brilliantly illustrates the virtuosity of the great Parisian workshops of the late 19th century, where cabinetmaking and bronze work for furniture reached a level of perfection rarely equaled. The quality of the chiseling on the gilded bronze is much more than a mere decorative embellishment : it plays a full part in the piece’s architecture and stylistic language.

related work

This commode by Henry Dasson, also reproduced by other great 19th-century cabinetmakers such as Joseph Emmanuel Zwiener and François Linke, is inspired by a model by Martin Carlin, whose lacquered panels were purchased by the Darnault brothers at the estate sale of the Duc d’Aumont in 1782. It was delivered in 1785 for the grand cabinet of Madame Victoire (1733–1799), daughter of Louis XV, at the Château de Bellevue, now housed at the Louvre Museum (OA 5498).

biography

Cabinet-maker and bronze-caster, Henry Dasson (1825-1896) executed in his Paris workshop sumptuous copies of royal 18th century models and some pieces of his own modified 18th century design. For his pieces of furniture, he used the very finest ormolu mounts with high quality mercurial gilding. He mainly produced in the Louis XV and Louis XVI style. His participation at the Paris 1878 Universal Exhibition was highly remarked with Louis XVI style decorative objects and a table, all made of bronze and considered as a «chasing masterpiece», as well as a copy of the famous King Louis XV desk (original piece exhibited at Versailles), which was also admired by critics. At the 1889 Universal Exhibition, he won a «grand Prix» for his outstanding furniture. Dasson closed down his business in 1894.

Martin Carlin (1730–1785) was a renowned French cabinetmaker of German origin who was granted master status in 1766. At the request of the marchands-merciers Poirier and Daguerre, art dealers based on Rue Saint-Honoré, Martin Carlin specialized in high-end furniture. In his luxurious furniture, he frequently incorporated painted porcelain plaques, lacquered panels, or semi-precious stone mosaics. He designed his furniture at the request of the social elite of the time: the royal family (Marie-Antoinette, Marie-Joséphine of Savoy, Countess of Provence, Madame Adélaïde, and Madame Victoire for their Château de Bellevue), the high aristocracy (the Duchess of Mazarin), and prominent women (Madame du Barry, the actress Marie-Josèphe Laguerre). After his death in 1785, his son, Georges-Antoine Carlin, took over the family workshop to carry on his father’s work until the early 19th century, and his widow remarried Gaspard Schneider, a cabinetmaker (who became a master craftsman in 1786), who also took over the workshop and worked for Daguerre, continuing the work of his predecessor. 

bibliography

– D. Alcouffe, A. Dion-Tennenbaum, A. Lefébure, Le Mobilier du Musée du Louvre, T.1, Edition Faton, 1993,  p 254-257.

– Alexandre Pradère, Les ébénistes français de Louis XV à la Révolution, Éditions Le Chêne, 1989,  p 343-361.

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Cabinet-maker and Bronze-caster (1825-1896)
(attributed to)

Pair of Cassolettes

France
Circa 1880

Serpentine, Gilded bronze

Height : 31,5 cm (12,4 in.) ; Width : 13 cm (5,1 in.) ; Depth : 11 cm (4,3 in.)

Beautiful pair of Louis XVI-inspired baluster-shaped serpentine cassolettes, with an elegant chiseled and gilded bronze mount. The lid, resting on an openwork gilded bronze frieze, is topped with a seed-shaped grip.The body is decorated with two leafy handles joining the pedestal, surrounded by a laurel torus, which rests on a square base.

Serpentine is a stone that has been highly valued since Antiquity and used over the centuries for prestigious purposes, in the form of mosaic cladding, as in certain rooms in the Vatican City in the 16th century, but also for precious objects.

Urn-cassolette with handles representing a mermaid and a faun, Pierre Gouthière and after François-Joseph Bélanger, circa 1775, Louvre Museum (OA 5178)

Biography

Cabinet-maker and bronze-caster, Henry Dasson (1825-1896) executed in his Paris workshop sumptuous copies of royal 18^th century models and some pieces of his own modified 18^th century design. For his pieces of furniture, he used the very finest ormolu mounts with high quality mercurial gilding. He mainly produced in the Louis XV and Louis XVI style. His participation at the Paris 1878 Universal Exhibition was highly remarked with Louis XVI style decorative objects and a table, all made of bronze and considered as a «chasing masterpiece», as well as a copy of the famous King Louis XV desk (original piece exhibited at Versailles), which was also admired by critics. At the 1889 Universal Exhibition, he won a «grand Prix» for his outstanding furniture. Dasson closed down his business in 1894.

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Cabinet-maker and bronze-caster
(1825-1896)
(attributed to)

Reading table

France
Circa 1885

Height.: 72 cm (28,3 in.) ; Width : 66 cm (25,9 in.) ; Depth : 42,5 cm (16,7 in.)

Charming Louis XV style reading table. It opens on one side by a compartmental drawer and by a sliding shelf, forming a writing board and being able to switch to a reading position. Its tray in amaranth and satine veneer is circled by a border. Beautiful garniture of chiseled and gilded bronze composed of clasp and sinuous handles. It rests on four cabriole legs adorned with leafy falls ending with hooves.

Easily mobile thanks to its handles, the discreet bronzes with harmonious proportions, the contrast veneer and the elegant lines with slightly curved feet evoke the creations of B.V.R.B. This talented cabinetmaker had a preference for small coffee tables, jewelry boxes and writing tables that he marked with an ormolu Rocaille clasp.

Related works

Writing table attributed to B.V.R.B, circa 1750, Musée Cognac-Jay

Biography

Henry Dasson executed in his Paris workshop sumptuous copies of royal XVIIIth century models and some pieces of his own modified XVIIIth century design. For his pieces of furniture, he used the very finest ormolu mounts with high quality mercurial gilding. He mainly produced in the Louis XV and Louis XVI style. His participation at the Paris 1878 Universal Exhibition was highly remarked with a Louis XVI style table, all made of bronze and considered as a «chasing masterpiece», and a copy of the famous King Louis XV desk (original piece exhibited at Versailles), which was also admired by critics. At the 1889 Universal Exhibition, he won a «grand Prix» for his outstanding furniture. Dasson closed down his business in 1894.

Bernard II Van Risen Burgh, master around 1735 is the most famous of the B.V.R.B dynasty, cabinet-makers of Dutch origin. He worked for rich customers, including the Royal familyIl a travaillé pour une riche clientèle ; y compris la famille royale through furniture dealers such as Hébert, Lazare Duvaux ou Simon Philippe Poirier. He created furniture in the Rocaille theme, Il réalise des meubles dans l’esprit rocaille, which are characterized by a great sense of proportion, the elegance of the curves,. His works are located in many museums such as Versailles, the Louvre, the National Gallery or the Metropolitan Museum.

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Cabinet-maker & Bronze-caster
(1825-1896)

Pair of Barometer and Thermometer

France
Circa 1880

Height: 45,5 cm (17,9 in.) ; Width: 13 cm (5,1 in.) ; Depth: 1,5 cm (0,5 in.)

A companion pair of Louis XVI style barometer and thermometer finely decorated with gilt-bronze acanthus leaves and seeds on green velvet, each with a polychrome decorated enamel plate, signed Henry Dasson / à Paris.

Biography

As a cabinet-maker and a bronze-caster, Henry Dasson executed in his Paris workshop sumptuous copies of royal 18th century models and some pieces of his own modified 18th century design. He used for his pieces of furniture and « objets d’art » the very finest ormolu mounts with high quality mercurial gilding. He purchased the firm of the cabinet-maker Charles Winckelsen upon his death in 1871 and mainly produced in the Louis XV and Louis XVI style. His participation at the Paris 1878 Universal Exhibition was highly remarked with a Louis XVI style table, all in bronze and considered as a « chasing masterpiece », and a copy of the famous King Louis XV desk (original piece exhibited at the Versailles Castle). At the 1889 Universal Exhibition, he won a « Grand Prix » for his beautiful furniture.

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Cabinet-maker & Bronze-caster
(1825-1896)

Important «Enfant Guerrier» Mantel Clock

Signed and dated Henry Dasson 1877

France
1877

Height: 63 cm (24,8 in.); Width: 64 cm (25 in.); Depth: 29 cm (11,4 in.)

Rare gilt and patinated bronze and marquetry on ebony mantel clock representing an “enfant guerrier”. The upper part is composed of a putto, leaning on the face of the clock, wearing a helmet and holding a gladiator sword. The lower part is constituted of a lovely ebony base embellished by a copper and brown tortoiseshell marquetry in the “Boulle” style and ornamented with a gilt bronze satire head in the middle. Rests on four chiseled and gilded bronze lion feet decorated by a foliage decor.

Another gilded bronze, marble and wood mantel clock, signed Henry Dasson for the clock and Bouchardon 1731 on the marble sculpture.

Biographies

As a cabinet-maker and a bronze-caster, Henry Dasson executed in his Paris workshop sumptuous copies of royal 18^th century models and some pieces of his own modified 18^th century design. He used for his pieces of furniture and « objets d’art » the very finest ormolu mounts with high quality mercurial gilding. He purchased the firm of the cabinet-maker Charles Winckelsen upon his death in 1871 and mainly produced in the Louis XV and Louis XVI style. His participation at the Paris 1878 Universal Exhibition was highly remarked with a Louis XVI style table, all in bronze and considered as a « chasing masterpiece », and a copy of the famous King Louis XV desk (original piece exhibited at the Versailles Castle). At the 1889 Universal Exhibition, he won a « Grand Prix » for his beautiful furniture.

Starting his apprenticeship with his sculptor-architect father, Edmé Bouchardon later enters Guillaume Coustou’s workshop. Thank to the First Sculpture Award received in 1722, Edmé Bouchardon leaves for Rome in 1723. The reputation acquired thanks to his works in Rome precedes his arrival in Paris, where he is integrated to the Royal Academy upon his return in 1733, conferring him the title of Sculptor of the King. Among his prestigious works can be mentioned the statues of the Saint-Sulpice church ‘s choir in Paris, the fountain, Rue de Grenelle executed between 1739 and 1745, then between 1740 and 1750, L’amour se taillant un arc dans la massue d’Hercule currently displayed at the Louvre Museum.

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Cabinet-maker
(1825-1896)

Secretary with painted medallions

Signed henry Dasson

France
Circa 1880

Height : 138 cm (54,3 in.) ; Length : 95 cm (37,5 in.) ; Depth : 40,5 cm (16 in.)

A very fine Louis XVI style upright secretary, executed in ambony and palisander veneer, finely decorated with painted medallions presenting mythological scenes. Mahogany insider. Fine chiseled and gilded bronze mounts. « Brocatelle d’Espagne » marble stretcher and top. This work was inspired by the 18th century models executed by Adam Weisweiler.

Biography

As a cabinet-maker and a bronze-caster, Henry Dasson executed in his Paris workshop, installed at 106 rue Vieille-du-Temple, sumptuous copies of royal 18th century models and some pieces of his own modified 18th century design. He used for his pieces of furniture and « objets d’art » the very finest ormolu mounts with high quality mercurial gilding. He purchased the firm of the cabinet-maker Charles Winckelsen upon his death in 1871 and mainly produced in the Louis XV and Louis XVI style. His participation at the Paris 1878 Universal Exhibition was highly remarked with a Louis XVI style table, all in bronze and considered as a « chasing masterpiece », and a copy of the famous King Louis XV desk (original piece exhibited at the Versailles Castle), which was also admired by critics. At the 1889 Universal Exhibition, he won a « grand Prix » for his beautiful furniture. Dasson closed down his business in 1894.

Adam Weisweiler (1744-1820) became Master in cabinet-making on March 26th 1778. He settled his workshops in Paris, on Faubourg-Saint-Antoine Street. Weisweiler was one of the great masters of the Louis XVI style. From German origin, he is assumed having received his training in the workshop of Roentgen. He came to France before 1777, year of his wedding in the capital city. He worked primarily for the « marchand-merciers » like Daguerre, whom sold Weisweiler’s works to Queen Marie-Antoinette. Very talented in his art, he developed a personal style, combining various materials such pietra-dura, lacquer or Sèvres porcelain plaques. Unlike most of cabinet-makers, the Revolution didn’t affect his production; Weisweiler worked under the First Empire for Queen Hortense. A large part of his production is now displayed in public collections such in the Louvre Museum, the Paris Decorative Arts Museum, the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art.

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