Étienne Avril (1748-1791) was a French furniture designer, or
ébéniste
An ''ébéniste'' () is a cabinet-maker, particularly one who works in ebony. The term is a loanword from French and translates to "ebonist".
Etymology and ambiguities
As opposed to ''ébéniste'', the term ''menuisier'' denotes a woodcarver or ...
.
Early life
Étienne Avril was born in 1748.
He had two brothers, both of whom also became ébénistes.
Career
As an ébéniste, Avril mostly designed rectangular
mahogany
Mahogany is a straight- grained, reddish-brown timber of three tropical hardwood species of the genus ''Swietenia'', indigenous to the AmericasBridgewater, Samuel (2012). ''A Natural History of Belize: Inside the Maya Forest''. Austin: Universit ...
panels, framed by bronze.
He became a maître-ébéniste, or master furniture designer, in 1774.
A year later, in 1775, he began adding porcelain to the design of his furniture.
For example, he added two nymphs made of
bisque to a wardrobe he designed for the
Palace of Fontainebleau
Palace of Fontainebleau ( , ; ), located southeast of the center of Paris, in the commune of Fontainebleau, is one of the largest French royal châteaux. It served as a hunting lodge and summer residence for many of the List of French monarchs ...
.
Other notable pieces of furniture include a
marquetry
Marquetry (also spelled as marqueterie; from the French ''marqueter'', to variegate) is the art and craft of applying pieces of wood veneer, veneer to a structure to form decorative patterns or designs. The technique may be applied to case furn ...
desk with a glass door for the Mirault family, and a mahogany
guéridon
A guéridon is a small table supported by one or more columns, or sculptural human or Mythology, mythological figures, often with a circular top. The guéridon originated in France towards the middle of the 17th century. The supports for early guà ...
s with leg made of gilded bronze for the Sené family.
Personal life and death
Avril resided on the rue de Charenton in the Faubourg Saint-Antoine of Paris.
He died on 24 June 1791.
References
1748 births
1791 deaths
Furniture designers from Paris
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