Curved Chest Of Drawers Stamped By Jean-baptiste Hedouin, Paris, Louis XV Period, Circa 1755.

Elegant curved chest of drawers in plan and elevation, opening with four drawers in three rows, made on an oak and softwood frame and veneered with rosewood and violet wood. The top is topped with a marble molded in a corbin bec, an old marble from the 18th century, restored to an earlier period. The front has a rich decoration of curls in fretted frames and contoured panels, emphasizing the ample curve. The sides adopt a characteristic diamond decoration inscribed in a fretted panel, a motif that is found on other chests of drawers attributed with certainty to Jean-Baptiste Hedouin. The ornamentation of added bronzes, partly from the 18th century, consists of pull handles, keyholes, falls, sabots and apron. Some bronzes, missing, have been completed with cast iron models. The drawers are mounted in oak, with softwood fronts, in accordance with Parisian customs. The current locks are later. The chest of drawers retains its entirely original frame and has recently been revarnished with a buffer, restoring all the depth and warmth of its precious woods. Stamp and hallmark of the jurande: The chest of drawers bears the stamp of Jean-Baptiste Hedouin (received as a master in 1738) as well as the hallmark of the jurande of cabinetmakers (JME), in use between 1751 and 1790. The simultaneous presence of these two marks makes it possible to precisely place the manufacture of this piece of furniture in the second half of the 18th century, probably around 1755. Jean-Baptiste Hedouin († 1783) Parisian cabinetmaker received as a master on May 22, 1738, Hedouin established his workshop on rue Traversière-Saint-Antoine. His production, of very fine quality, consists mainly of furniture in the Regency and Louis XV styles, covered with geometric veneers – leaf, diamond or grid friezes. His commodes represent the largest part of his work, generally curved and decorated with Rocaille gilded bronzes. He sometimes collaborated with other masters, as evidenced by the discovery of his stamp next to that of Pierre IV Migeon. Some of his works are now preserved in public collections, notably: a small Louis XV commode inlaid with flowers, Louvre Museum; a corner cabinet inlaid with violet wood veneer leaves, stamped twice, Musée des Arts Décoratifs de Lyon (inv. MAD1542). Hedouin practiced until his death in 1783, leaving a production representative of Parisian elegance of the mid-18th century. Dimensions on marble Height: 83 cm Width: 127 cm Depth: 61 cm