Commode

Former Attribution Antoine-Mathieu Criaerd French

ca. 1755–60

On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 529

The most prominent member of a large family of cabinetmakers, Mathieu Criaerd specialized in furniture veneered with Asian lacquer or European imitation lacquer and is known to have worked for the marchands merciers Thomas-Joachim Hébert and Nicolas Héricourt. Once thought to be veneered with Japanese lacquer, the surface of this commode was actually decorated in France in imitation of Japanese black and gold lacquer of about 1670–1680.

Artwork Details

Overview

Signatures, Inscriptions, and Markings

Provenance

Exhibition History

Title: Commode
Maker: Martin Criaerd (French, 1689–1776)
Former Attribution: Antoine-Mathieu Criaerd (French, 1724–1787)
Date: ca. 1755–60
Culture: French, Paris
Medium: Oak veneered with ebonized and lacquered wood; gilt bronze; Rance marble
Dimensions: Overall: 32 1/2 × 41 1/2 × 20 3/4 in. (82.6 × 105.4 × 52.7 cm)
Classification: Woodwork-Furniture
Credit Line: The Lesley and Emma Sheafer Collection, Bequest of Emma A. Sheafer, 1973
Object Number: 1974.356.159
Curatorial Department: European Sculpture and Decorative Arts

More Artwork

By Antoine-Mathieu Criaerd

In the same gallery

From the same time and place

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Commode (Secrétaire à abattant), Jean Henri Riesener French, Oak veneered with ebony and 17th-century Japanese lacquer; interiors veneered with tulipwood, amaranth, holly, and ebonized holly; gilt-bronze mounts; marble top; velvet (not original), French, Paris — Commode (Secrétaire à abattant)
Jean Henri Riesener
1783

Commode (commode à vantaux) (part of a set), Adam Weisweiler French, Oak veneered with ebony, amaranth, holly, ebonized holly, satinwood, Japanese and French lacquer panels; gilt-bronze mounts, brocatelle marble top (not original); steel springs; morocco leather (not original), French, Paris — Commode (commode à vantaux) (part of a set)
Adam Weisweiler
ca. 1790

Writing table (bureau plat), Gilles Joubert French, Lacquered oak, gilt-bronze mounts, lined with modern leather, French, Paris — Writing table (bureau plat)
Gilles Joubert
1759

Drop-front secretary (Secrétaire en armoire), Jean Henri Riesener French, Oak veneered with ebony and 17th-century Japanese lacquer; interiors veneered with tulipwood, amaranth, holly, and ebonized holly; gilt-bronze mounts; marble top; velvet (not original), French, Paris — Drop-front secretary (Secrétaire en armoire)
Jean Henri Riesener
1783

Drop-front secretary (secrétaire à abattant or secrétaire en armoire), Guillaume Benneman, Oak veneered with tulipwood, kingwood, holly partly stained green, ebony, and mahogany; brèche d'Alep marble (not original); modern leather; gilt-bronze mounts, French, Paris — Drop-front secretary (secrétaire à abattant or secrétaire en armoire)
Multiple artists/makers
1786–87

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