The early years of the life of Jean Henri Riesener would seem to
indicate that he was born under a lucky star. But long before his
death, at the age of seventy-one, in the first decade of the nineteenth
century, his star had set. Before the outbreak of the French Revolution
he commanded enormous prices for his work. One small table that he
constructed is said to have been sold for more than a thousand dollars.
Yet in his old age he was only saved from utter ruin by his son, a
portrait painter.
Œben, the famous and successful furniture maker, under whom Riesener
served as an apprentice, died and left, besides a young and handsome
widow, one of the largest workshops in Paris and a large fortune. The
young man promptly married the widow, and upon her death, six years
later, came into possession of both the property and the fortune. Three
years later he married the daughter of a citizen of Paris; but again
his marriage proved of short duration, for after a few stormy years of
wedded life he took refuge in the new divorce laws of the country, and
returned again to the state of single blessedness.
Œben, his master, had been commissioned by King Louis XV of France
to make a bureau. King Louis was called the “well beloved,” although
he was really hated by the majority of his subjects. This bureau
contributed greatly to Riesener’s fame; for its construction took three
years, and, Œben having died in the meantime, his pupil completed it.
The massive bronze doors of this royal bureau were ornamented
with elaborate and intricately modeled figures, and the whole was
fashioned after a complete and perfect miniature model. The degree
of craftsmanship that was brought to bear upon this historical piece
of furniture was of such a character that a second bureau, built
similarly, was begun and completed by a competitor before the original
was finished.
Riesener became a greater artist than his teacher, Œben, and was
recognized as one of the leading furniture makers of his time. His
great activity is shown by the quantity and elaborate detail of the
furniture he made.
At the beginning of the French Revolution evil days came upon Riesener.
Those wealthy customers who did not flee and escaped the guillotine
were made bankrupt. In 1793 he held a sale of his prized collection of
furniture; but he was forced to buy most of it back himself. A little
later he tried again to realize some money on the furniture; but this
also was a failure.
His son, who had joined the army, returned to Paris and saved the aged
furniture maker from starvation.
PREPARED BY THE EDITORIAL STAFF OF THE MENTOR ASSOCIATION
ILLUSTRATION FOR THE MENTOR, VOL. 1, No. 30, SERIAL No. 30
[Illustration: INTERIOR SHOWING THREE CHIPPENDALE CHAIRS]
_FURNITURE AND ITS MAKERS_
_Thomas Chippendale_