Charles Cressent

Cressent was also a sculptor, and among his work is a bronze bust of Louis d'Orléans, Duke of Chartres, the son of Philippe II, Duke of Orléans (later Regent of France for Louis XV), for whom Cressent had made one of the finest examples of French furniture of the 18th century the famous medaillier now in the Bibliothèque Nationale. Cressent's bronze mounts were executed with a sharpness of finish and a grace and vigour of outline which were excelled by his contemporary Jacques Caffieri. The work of identification is rendered comparatively easy in his case by the fact that he published catalogues of three sales of his work. These catalogues are highly characteristic of the man, who shared in no small degree the personal bravura of Cellini, and could sometimes execute almost as well. He did not hesitate to describe himself as the author of a clock worthy to be placed in the very finest cabinets, the most distinguished bronzes, or pieces of the most elegant form adorned with bronzes of extra richness. He worked much in marqueterie, both in tortoiseshell and in brilliant colored woods. He was indeed an artist to whom colour appealed with especial force. The very type and exemplar of the feeling of the regency.

Training under François Cressent is recorded. The recorded working language is French. Work by Charles Cressent is recorded in the collections of Minneapolis Institute of Art, The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, J. Paul Getty Museum, Cleveland Museum of Art and National Museum Paleis het Loo.

• Illustration — Charles Cressent, Chest of drawers, c. 1730 at Waddesdon Manor Writing-table, c. 1725, Wallace Collection, UK Commode, c. 1730, Waddesdon Manor, UK Commode, ca. 1745-49, Metropolitan Museum of Art, USA Filing-Cabinet and clock, c. 1740-1745, Wallace Collection, UK Cartel clock, c. 1747, Wallace Collection, UK • Illustration — Chest of drawers by Charles Cressent, Paris, c. 1730, with Sèvres porcelain - Waddesdon Manor - Buckinghamshire, England • Illustration — Charles Cressent, coppia di medaglieri, parigi 1750 • Illustration — Charles Cressent, coppia di mobili con scaffali da biblioteca, parigi, 1735 • Illustration — Charles Cressent, tavolo da segreteria, parigi 1750 • Illustration — Charles Cressent, cantoniera (da una coppia), parigi 1757-65 ca., con un vaso celadon parigino del 1720-30

Commode is dated ca. Recorded as sculptor, cabinetmaker and master craftsman.