Roussel, Inlaid Commode, 18th Century

Curved chest of drawers in rosewood and satin veneer, marquetry of crosspieces in frames. It opens with three drawers in two rows, without crosspiece, and rests on arched legs. Chiseled and gilded bronze ornaments with openwork rocailles and foliage. Top of Aleppo breccia marble. Posterior bronzes. Stamped “Roussel” on the left front pillar. Louis XV period. Good condition. Dimensions: H: 86.5 cm W: 114 cm D: 66 cm --- Renowned cabinetmaker whose production was abundant and of excellent quality. His works remain among the most sought after. Son of a journeyman cabinetmaker who established himself on rue de Charenton in 'L'image de Saint Pierre' where he quickly acquired great notoriety, he supplied furniture to the Prince of Condé for the Palais Bourbon and the Château de Chantilly. In 1769, the 'Almanac de Vray Mérite' cited him as “one of the first cabinetmakers” in Paris. On the death of his father, his youngest son Peter II continued the activity of the workshop until the start of the Revolution. Always very carefully and refined, his furniture covers all the styles of the 18th century, from rocaille to neoclassicism. With flowers and landscapes, Pierre Roussel practices marquetry of geometric patterns: large diamonds or quatrefoil squares, crosspieces, cubes, as well as a sort of trompe l'oeil parquetry also adopted by several of his colleagues. It is likely that certain pieces of furniture signed by Roussel were made after his death by his youngest son, Pierre II, who used the same stamp.
Furniture in prestigious collections in France and abroad, including: Decorative Arts, Carnavalet, Jacquemart André, the Louvre or the Petit Palais in Paris.