Charles Cressent

Background

Charles Cressent was the second son of Francois Cressent, sculpteur du roi, and grandson of Charles Cressent, a furniture-maker of Amiens, who also became a sculptor.

Education

Charles Cressent was a pupil of Andre Charles Boulle.

Trained in such surroundings, it is not surprising that he should have reached a degree of achievement which has to a great extent justified the claim that he was the best decorative artist of the 18th century.

Career

Cressent's distinction is closely connected with the regency, but his earlier work had affinities with the school of Boulle, while his later pieces were full of originality.

He was an artist in the widest sense of the word.

He not only designed and made furniture, but created the magnificent gilded enrichments which are so characteristic of his work.

Cressent's bronze mounts were executed with a sharpness of finish and a grace and vigour of outline which were hardly excelled by his great contemporary Jacques Caffieri.

These catalogues are highly characteristic of the man, who shared in no small degree the personal bravoura of Cellini, and could sometimes execute almost as well.

He worked much in marqueterie, both in tortoiseshell and in brilliant coloured woods.

He was indeed an artist to whom colour appealed with especial force.

The very type and exemplar of the " feeling " of the regency, he is worthy to have given his own name to some of the fashions which he deduced from it.

Achievements

• Cressent did not hesitate to describe himself as the author of " a clock worthy to be placed in the very finest cabinets, " "the most distinguished bronzes, " or pieces of "the most elegant form adorned with bronzes of extra richness. "

Connections

Father:

François Cressent

Grandfather:

Charles Cressent