Jean-Henri Riesener (1734–1806) A Louis XVI-style royal chest of drawers, delivered in 1786 to the Countess of Angiviller at the Hôtel du Gouvernement in the Château de Rambouillet, crafted by Jean-Henri Riesener. A chest of drawers in mahogany and mahogany veneer with a burl pattern; the slightly projecting front opens to reveal five drawers in three rows, the bottom two of which have no crossbar, decorated with mouldings, the side panels are slightly curved, and the rounded front and rear stiles rest on broad, fluted turned feet. Ornamentation of gilded and chiselled bronze mouldings beneath the frieze and at the base, ring-shaped lock plates, capitals surmounting the feet and clogs. Stamped ‘J.H. Riesener’ on each of the rear legs. Bearing on the reverse two hot-stamped marks – an intertwined double ‘g’ and the letter ‘R’, both beneath a royal crown – as well as a number in black ink, partially effaced, reading ‘No. 668’. Louis XVI period, circa 1786 H. 90 cm – W. 148 cm – D. 64 cm CONDITION REPORT: Frame of oak and softwood. 1- Stable structure. 2- Axial shrinkage is evident, having caused small cracks in the side panels. 3- Previous restoration work on the drawers: three drawer backs and one base have been replaced; new drawer liners fitted to all five drawers. 4- Small chips and losses to the mahogany veneer. 5- Oxidised varnish showing stains. 6- The bronze ornamentation has been partially altered and modified; locks, keyholes and fittings have also been partially replaced at a later date. 7- Partial restoration and alterations to the lower section of the frame. 8- An incomplete pull ring; key missing. 9- 19th-century peach-blossom marble top, showing one repair. Provenance: Supplied for the bedroom of the flat on the first floor of the Hôtel du Gouvernement at Rambouillet Castle; this chest of drawers was intended for the Countess of Angiviller, wife of the Count of Angiviller, administrator of the arts and the last Director-General of the King’s Buildings under Louis XVI. This piece, crafted by Jean-Henri Riesener, perfectly illustrates his craftsmanship: a model of balance and restraint, combining elegance with great technical mastery - Rambouillet Castle, the Hôtel du Gouvernement, for the bedroom in the Countess of Angiviller’s apartments (reproduced) - Private collection - Viel Collection, auction conducted by Messrs Maurice and Etienne Ader, Paris, Galerie George Petit, 24 May 1932, lot no. 89 - Private collection, auction by Messrs Couturier and de Nicolay, Paris, Palais d’Orsay, 21 June 1979, lot no. 127 (reproduced) Order No. 57 of the General Custodian of the Crown’s Furniture, dated 23 February 1786, mentions the following for the Rambouillet estate, under the supervision of the sculptor Jean Hauré, the Crown’s furniture contractor for Riesener (fig. 1): 1 chest of drawers measuring 4 feet and 6 inches and 2 corner cabinets in mahogany. 900 livres (An O1 3288), corresponding to the dimensions of our piece of furniture. The report by the suppliers to the Crown’s furniture store for the first half of 1786 in Paris (AN O1 3638), as part of Mr Riesener’s tender for the cabinetry, mentions our chest of drawers with a more precise description this time from the cabinetmaker (fig. 2): A mahogany chest of drawers, more refined than the previous one, with wooden mouldings around the panels, a gilded moulding beneath the frieze adorned with consoles, chiselled capitals (on the legs) and lock plates in the form of rings gilded with ground gold… 400 livres A discovery made during the valuation: the inventory number enabling the chest of drawers to be located within the Countess of Angiviller’s apartments The discovery of an inventory number written in black ink—not mentioned in the 1932 and 1979 sales catalogues—which came to light during the expert appraisal in April 2026, reveals, albeit partially faded, the number 668. This corresponds to the November 1787 inventory of the Rambouillet estate, in which the number 668 also appears. It thus enables the chest of drawers to be located on the first floor, in the Countess of Angiviller’s apartments, and more specifically in her bedroom. Inventory of the Château de Rambouillet, November 1787 (Year 3440, folio no. 668) (fig. 2): 1 chest of drawers, 4 feet and 3 inches high, with two large and three small drawers, made of mahogany and decorated with ring-shaped mouldings and gilded copper feet with ground gold, the top of veined white marble. (Year O1 3440) We note the difference of three inches recorded in this inventory, which is probably due to a measurement error, a common occurrence in inventories of that period. Jean-Henri Riesener (1734–1806) was a cabinetmaker of German origin, trained in the workshop of Jean-François Oeben. Having been granted master status on 23 January 1768, he rose rapidly through the ranks. In 1774, he succeeded Gilles Joubert and was appointed the King’s official cabinetmaker for the Crown’s furniture. This prestigious distinction attests to his success and the excellence of his craftsmanship in producing furniture of the highest luxury. Bibliography: - J. Nicolay, *L’Art et la Manière des Maîtres Ébénistes français du XVIIIe siècle*, Paris, 1956 & 1976, Fig. AA (reproduced). - R. Serrette, ‘The mystery of the crowned double Gs finally solved’, *L’Objet d’art*, October 2024, p. 77. - A. Maes, *The Count of Angiviller’s Mansion in Rambouillet: A Fashionable Residence on the Eve of the Revolution*, 2024, Versalia, Journal of the Society of Friends of Versailles, p. 165 (reproduced) - A. Maes, The Count of Angiviller, Director of the Arts under Louis XVI, 2025, Monelle Hayot eds - National Archives, Paris, An O1 3288, An O1 3440, An O1 3638. Expert: Arnaud Romieux Tel: 06 08 27 09 92