Biography

French cabinet-maker of Flemish origin who specialized in Louis XV style furniture embellished with geometric and floral marquetry or with oriental lacquer framed with Rococo mounts.

Criaerd worked independently before becoming a maitre-ébéniste on 29 July 1738. He mainly worked for the Garde Meuble de la Couronne, through his colleagues Antoine-Robert Gaudreaus, Gilles Joubert and Jean-Francoi Oeben and through such dealers as Hébert. His extant works, stamped with his mark M CRIAERD, include luxurious furniture, in general characterized by very turbulent forms and exuberant, fantastic decoration. Chequered marquetry or, more rarely, floral marquetry was used, as well as some varnished panels, either imitating Chinese lacquer or in vernis Martin with European decoration. In particular, he made beautiful commodes, including one (Versailles, Chatea) for the Dauphin's Cabinet de Retraite, which is typical of his work, as is the commode (Paris, Louvre) decorated with blue and silvered-bronze birds made for Madame de Mailly.