Commode 1740 - 1754

This commode was crafted by Charles Cressent in France during the early 18th century. The commode is made of wood and marble, adorned with gilt bronze. Furniture like this was more than just functional; it reflected the owner's status in a society defined by hierarchy. The visual codes here such as the use of expensive materials and elaborate decoration, speak volumes about power and wealth. Cressent was working during the Régence period, a transitional era between the reign of Louis XIV and Louis XV. Cressent was one of the few cabinetmakers to cast his own bronzes, and this allowed him to have complete control over his production and to create truly unique pieces. To understand this piece fully, we might delve into aristocratic inventories, workshop records, and design pattern books. The commode reminds us that art doesn't exist in a vacuum; it's closely tied to social and institutional contexts.