Henry Dasson

Bronzier and cabinetmaker (1825–1896)

A Parisian cabinetmaker and bronzier, Henry Dasson was among the most brilliant interpreters of 18th-century royal furniture during the Second Empire and the Third Republic. He created sumptuous replicas of the great masterpieces of Versailles and the Louvre, alongside original creations in the same spirit, whether Rococo or Neoclassical, invariably adorned with finely chased, mercury-gilt bronzes. In 1871, he acquired the workshop stock of cabinetmaker Charles-Guillaume Winckelsen following his death that same year, granting him access to models of exceptional quality. His reputation was forged at the Universal Exhibitions. In 1878, he exhibited a replica of Louis XV’s celebrated roll-top desk, the original of which is preserved at Versailles, as well as a Louis XVI-style table crafted entirely from bronze, acclaimed as a masterpiece of chasing. In 1889, he was awarded a Grand Prix for his furniture as a whole, cementing his standing among the foremost cabinetmakers of his time.