Charles Cressent

Curves abound in every aspect of this commode, from the free-flowing form and veneer patterns to the gilded bronze mounts and the marble top’s undulating edge. These sinuous lines give the chest a sense of animated movement that is characteristic of the 18th-century French style known as Rococo. Made by Charles Cressent, one of most preeminent designers of the era, the commode’s configuration of contrasting veneers—thin layers of woods imported mainly from South and Central America—was created using a technique known as marquetry. The shape of the scrolling bronze mounts is echoed in the pattern of the surrounding veneer, which is countered by the overall geometric patterning.