Martin-Guillaume Biennais (; La Cochère, April 29, 1764 –

Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...

, March 27, 1843) was a

French French may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France ** French people, a nation and ethnic group ** French cuisine, cooking traditions and practices Arts and media * The French (band), ...

goldsmith A goldsmith is a Metalworking, metalworker who specializes in working with gold and other precious metals. Modern goldsmiths mainly specialize in jewelry-making but historically, they have also made cutlery, silverware, platter (dishware), plat ...

and

silversmith A silversmith is a metalworker who crafts objects from silver. The terms ''silversmith'' and ''goldsmith'' are not exact synonyms, as the techniques, training, history, and guilds are (or were, at least) largely the same but differed in that t ...

Biography

Martin-Guillaume Biennais was born in La Cochère on April 29, 1764. After his father's death, Biennais moved to Paris in 1788, where he initially engaged in

commerce Commerce is the organized Complex system, system of activities, functions, procedures and institutions that directly or indirectly contribute to the smooth, unhindered large-scale exchange (distribution through Financial transaction, transactiona ...

; he married but was

widowed A widow (female) or widower (male) is a person whose spouse has died and has usually not remarried. The male form, "widower", is first attested in the 14th century, by the 19th century supplanting "widow" with reference to men. The adjective for ...

after a year. The first part of his career he dedicated mainly to goldsmithing, but after the end of the revolutionary period, he approached more to silverware, since gold and silver objects during the

Napoleonic Empire The First French Empire or French Empire (; ), also known as Napoleonic France, was the empire ruled by Napoleon Bonaparte, who established French hegemony over much of continental Europe at the beginning of the 19th century. It lasted from ...

could be worked and produced. In addition to all kinds of silverware,

jewelry Jewellery (or jewelry in American English) consists of decorative items worn for personal adornment such as brooches, ring (jewellery), rings, necklaces, earrings, pendants, bracelets, and cufflinks. Jewellery may be attached to the body or the ...

porcelain Porcelain (), also called china, is a ceramic material made by heating Industrial mineral, raw materials, generally including kaolinite, in a kiln to temperatures between . The greater strength and translucence of porcelain, relative to oth ...

religious objects Religion is a range of social- cultural systems, including designated behaviors and practices, morals, beliefs, worldviews, texts, sanctified places, prophecies, ethics, or organizations, that generally relate humanity to supernatural, tr ...

, various white weapons embellished with

military decorations Military awards and decorations are distinctions given as a mark of honor for military heroism, meritorious or outstanding service or achievement. A decoration is often a medal consisting of a ribbon and a medallion. Civil decorations awarded ...

, he produced mahogany furniture, such as chests of drawers, consoles, coffee tables, toilets and beds. He was one of the best silversmiths in the translation of the classical style spread for

Napoleon Bonaparte Napoleon Bonaparte (born Napoleone di Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French general and statesman who rose to prominence during the French Revolution and led Military career ...

by his "ornatisti". While Robert Joseph Auguste gave the best of his art in the period of

Louis XVI Louis XVI (Louis-Auguste; ; 23 August 1754 – 21 January 1793) was the last king of France before the fall of the monarchy during the French Revolution. The son of Louis, Dauphin of France (1729–1765), Louis, Dauphin of France (son and heir- ...

, Biennais and

Jean-Baptiste-Claude Odiot Jean-Baptiste-Claude Odiot (1763–1850) was a French silversmith working in the neoclassical style. Business ''Maison Odiot'', in English "House of Odiot", was established in 1690, during the reign of Louis XIV by Jean-Baptiste Gaspard Odiot ...

proved to be the most capable interpreters of the Napoleonic model. Of the two, however, Biennais was the most appreciated among his contemporaries, and also the most prolific. Biennais was responsible for the execution of the insignia of Napoleon's coronation ceremony on December 2, 1804: the sword, the

laurel Laurel may refer to: Plants * Lauraceae, the laurel family * Laurel (plant), including a list of trees and plants known as laurel People * Laurel (given name), people with the given name * Laurel (surname), people with the surname * Laurel (mus ...

wreath, the great necklace of the

legion of honor The National Order of the Legion of Honour ( ), formerly the Imperial Order of the Legion of Honour (), is the highest and most prestigious French national order of merit, both military and civil. Currently consisting of five classes, it was ...

, the Grand-Septre, the ball of the world and the hand of justice. The work that made him famous in his time was the silver cradle made for the king of

Rome Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...

, although Biennais was probably only the executor, because the design was provided by

Pierre-François-Léonard Fontaine Pierre-François-Léonard Fontaine (; 20 September 1762 – 10 October 1853) was a French neoclassical architect, interior decorator, designer and artist. In addition to his important contributions to the architecture and interior design of his ...

or by the other great "ornatist" of the Empire,

Charles Percier Charles Percier (; 22 August 1764 – 5 September 1838) was a neoclassical French architect, interior decorator and designer, who worked in a close partnership with Pierre François Léonard Fontaine, originally his friend from student days. Fo ...

. All the other works he produced were instead designed by Biennais himself, and sometimes executed by his collaborators, as evidenced by the marks present next to his. He made most of the silver service for the King of Bavaria crowned in 1806, now housed in the Residenzmuseum in

Munich Munich is the capital and most populous city of Bavaria, Germany. As of 30 November 2024, its population was 1,604,384, making it the third-largest city in Germany after Berlin and Hamburg. Munich is the largest city in Germany that is no ...

, and his clients included the

Grand Duchess of Tuscany The Grand Duchy of Tuscany was founded in 1569. It succeeded the Duchy of Florence. The grand duchy was initially ruled by the House of Medici, until their extinction in 1737. The grand duchy passed to the House of Lorraine, and then, to its cad ...

, the

King of the Netherlands The monarchy of the Netherlands is governed by the Charter for the Kingdom of the Netherlands, country's charter and Constitution of the Netherlands, constitution, roughly a third of which explains the mechanics of succession, accession, and a ...

, Jerome of Westphalia, Prince Camillo Borghese. At the end of his career, in the early years of the Restoration, Biennais worked mainly for a foreign clientele. In 1819, Biennais suddenly decided to leave the company, passing the hand to one of his main collaborators. He spent his last years in

La Verrière La Verrière () is a commune in the Yvelines department in the Île-de-France in north-central France. Population Transport La Verrière station is served by Transilien trains to Paris and Rambouillet. Education Preschools and elementary sc ...

, his country residence. Biennais died at his home in Paris on March 27, 1843, at the age of seventy-eight, surrounded by his children.

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Biography

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