(b Gladebeck, nr Hessen, 4 July 1734; d Paris, 6 Jan 1806). French cabinetmaker of German birth. He was first apprenticed to Jean-François Oeben and later became his workman. After Oeben’s death (1763) until 1768, Riesener directed his workshop at the Arsenal, Paris, where he remained until 1800, under the nominal authority of Oeben’s widow whom he married in August 1767. He used the stamp J. F. OEBEN. Through his wife Riesener became related to the cabinetmakers Simon Oeben (d 1786), Roger Vandercruse and Martin Carlin, and to the bronze-caster Antoine-André Ravrio. He was the father of the painter Henri-François Riesener (1767–1828) and grandfather of the painters Léon Riesener (1808–78) and Eugène Delacroix. He became a maître-ébéniste on 23 January 1768.

• Riesener, Jean-Henri
  • Delacroix, Eugène, §I, 1: Early years, to 1821
  • France, §VI, 3(iii): Furniture, 1716–93: Woods and techniques
  • France, §IX, 2(iii)(a): Base metalwork, 1600–1800: Gilt-bronze
  • Paris, §IV, 3: Centre of furniture production
  • Vandercruse, Roger
  • collaboration
    • Duplessis
    • Forestier
  • copies
    • Seymour-Conway: (2) Richard Seymour-Conway, 4th Marquess of Hertford
  • groups and movements
    • Neo-classicism, §2: The search for a contemporary style
  • patrons and collectors
    • Bourbon, §I: (10) Louis XV, King of France
    • Bourbon, §I: (12) Marie-Antoinette, Queen of France
    • Grimod, Pierre-Marie-Gaspard
    • Gulbenkian, Calouste Sarkis
    • Hanover: (4) George IV, §1: Architecture and the decorative arts
    • Jones, John
    • Rothschild
  • works
    • Bureau
    • Commode
    • France, §VI, 3(i): Furniture, 1716–93: New furniture types
    • France, §VI, 3(ii): Furniture, 1716–93: Expansion of cabinetmaking
    • Gondoin, Jacques
    • Marquetry, §2: History
    • Ribbonwork