born July 4, 1734, Gladbeck, Münster
died Jan. 6, 1806, Paris, Fr.
French cabinetmaker.
Son of an usher in the law courts of the elector of Cologne, he joined a workshop in Paris and became its head when his master died. In 1774 he was made royal cabinetmaker and from then on was the regular supplier of furniture to Marie-Antoinette . His preferred wood was mahogany; occasionally he used lacquer and mother-of-pearl to enrich his surfaces. His furniture exemplified the Louis XVI style .
Jewel casket on a stand, veneered with mahogany, sycamore, and purplewood, by Riesener, c. ...
By courtesy of the Victoria and Albert Museum, London