Bureau Plat With Espagnolettes Model By Charles Cressent - Late 19th Century

Important flat desk in marquetry of exotic woods in two colors, resting on four arched legs and opening with three drawers in the belt. In symmetry, we find 3 simulated drawers. These drawers protrude from the central drawer, separated by bronze foliage.

Beautiful ornamentation of gilded bronzes.

The feet are decorated with lion paw clogs and at the damping, 4 espagnolette.

The belts are decorated with women's masks and the drawers with swinging handles.

Note that in the belt, the light veneer species are differentiated from the rosewood by a gilded bronze frame which allows to reserve this difference of tones.

The dark top of a red morocco highlighted with a rich decoration with small iron is surrounded by a gilded bronze ingot mold decorated in the corners by a rocaille cartouche.

Our desk is characteristic of a corpus of desks executed by Charles Cressent and belongs to the "corseted" espagnolette desks produced between 1725 and 1735. Indeed, Cressent used different models of espagnolette (corseted, with crests, looped, ...) throughout his career.
This one joins a period model preserved at Versailles, two others at Waddesdon Manor and finally a last one at the Wallace Collection.

Work from the end of the 19th century.

Very good condition.

Length: 160 cm.
Depth: 79 cm.
Height: 76 cm.

Bibliography: "Charles Cressent" by Alexandre Pradère published by Faton.