19th C Louis XVI Gilt Bronze, Marquetry & Parquetry Commode Attb. Maison Krieger

Description

19th C Louis XVI Gilt Bronze, Marquetry & Parquetry Commode Attb. Maison Krieger A 19th-century Louis XVI-style gilt-bronze-mounted commode, attributed to Maison Krieger, constructed with a rectangular cabinet body centered by a large marquetry panel and flanked by parquetry doors. The central panel depicts a flowering urn arranged on an architectural plinth, with numerous blossoms, leaves, stems, and branches rendered in contrasting woods against a dark ground. The composition is enclosed within a shaped architectural frame with gilt bronze moldings and foliate corner mounts. The side doors are decorated with repeating diamond-lattice parquetry bordered by contrasting wood veneers and gilt-bronze frames. Fluted corner pilasters terminate in gilt bronze capitals and continue downward toward the base, giving the cabinet a defined architectural structure. The upper frieze is extensively mounted with gilt bronze ornament. A central openwork panel consists of interlaced laurel branches surrounding a circular floral rosette, with additional foliate scrolls at each end. Corresponding side sections contain repeating circular rosettes within linked borders. A continuous egg and dart molding runs immediately beneath the marble top. The lower edge of the cabinet is mounted with a repeating gilt bronze swag border composed of suspended floral garlands tied at regular intervals. The commode stands on four short spiral fluted feet finished in gilt bronze. The combination of straight architectural lines, fluted supports, garlands, rosettes, laurel leaves, and symmetrical ornament follows the Louis XVI decorative vocabulary. The commode is attributed to Maison Krieger, the Paris furniture firm associated with substantial cabinet furniture combining veneered woods, marquetry, parquetry, marble, and gilt bronze mounts. No maker's stamp is visible in the supplied photographs. The attribution is based on the stated identification and should therefore remain qualified. Krieger produced furniture in several earlier French styles, including Louis XVI forms characterized by architectural construction and extensive bronze mounting. The cabinet's large central floral marquetry panel, contrasting lattice parquetry, and structured arrangement of bronze ornament correspond with the type of decorative cabinetmaking associated with the firm's production. The top is formed from a substantial variegated marble slab with a molded edge. Its surface contains irregular passages of burgundy, cream, rose, gray, and darker mineral tones. Beneath the marble, the cabinet is organized into three principal vertical sections. The broad central door contains the floral marquetry reserve, while the narrower side doors carry the geometric lattice work. Multiple woods were selected to distinguish individual flowers, leaves, stems, vessels, borders, and architectural details within the marquetry. Maison Krieger's furniture production relied on specialized cabinetmaking combined with separately cast bronze mounts. On this commode, the wood surfaces employ both pictorial marquetry and geometric parquetry, while the bronze components were cast, chased, fitted to the cabinet, and gilded. The openwork laurel frieze, floral rosettes, corner ornaments, egg and dart borders, suspended garlands, fluted pilasters, and spiral feet required numerous individually formed elements. The resulting construction combines veneered cabinet work, contrasting wood inlay, carved architectural divisions, gilt bronze mounts, and a fitted marble top within a large Louis XVI style commode.

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