Helen Jacobsen

A fascinating look at the influences of the art and architecture of France on Walt Disney and his studios

The Animation of French Decorative Arts at the Wallace Collection

Inspiring Walt Disney

Rufus Bird

Mia Jackson

Jean-Henri Riesener (1734-1806) was one of the greatest French cabinetmakers of all time. From humble beginnings as a German immigrant in Paris, he found fame through the delivery of a magnificent roll-top desk to Louis XV in 1769 and went on to become Marie-Antoinette's favourite cabinetmaker, supplying the queen and the court of Louis XVI with sumptuous furniture of superb quality. Renowned for his exquisite marquetry and refined designs, his pieces were ornamented with spectacular gilt-bronze mounts made by some of the greatest metalworkers in Paris. In the nineteenth century, Riesener's name became associated with the very best of Louis XVI-period French furniture; his pieces continue to be highly sought after and are found in major museums worldwide. This first major monograph on Riesener traces his life and career, bringing new insights into his business practice, his designs and construction techniques. Based on the extensive collections of Riesener furniture in the Wallace Collection, Waddesdon Manor and the Royal Collection, the authors examine the objects and their history, and highlight the changing tastes of the nineteenth-century collectors who acquired so many former French royal pieces. The new illustrations and visual glossary add another important resource for art historians, decorative arts enthusiasts and furniture lovers.

Cabinetmaker to Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette

Jean-Henri Riesener

The Wallace Collection has an internationally-renowned collection of French eighteenth-century art but perhaps lesser known today is their stunning collection of gilt-bronze objects. These bronzes d'ameublement - from clocks and mounted Sèvres porcelain to wall lights and candelabra - epitomised the levels of luxury achieved in Parisian interiors. Highly expensive and expertly wrought, they illustrate the heights of skilled craftsmanship achieved by French bronze workers in the eighteenth century as well as showcasing the wealth and connoisseurship o f their owners. Lavishly illustrated with new photography, this publication will be a book of 'highlights' to include the very best of what the Wallace Collection has to offer in this field.

Helen Jacobsen

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