With a cabriolet, violin-shaped back above a wide, rounded seat. The armrests are curved and meet the chair rail at the knees with a rosette. The chair stands on four straight, tapered and fluted legs. The frame has carvings at the top, shoulders, knees and front seat rail.

Painted in a patinated gray and upholstered in a polychrome woven fabric with a floral design on a cream ground.

In very good condition and structurally sound. Old repairs and restorations visible. Upholstery and fabric in excellent condition.

The carving on this armchair highlights the experimentation that was taking place during this period, as tastes pivoted from the Louis XV to the Louis XVI styles. The main decorative motif, the heart-in-shield design at the top of the back and the front of the seat rail, is a traditional Louis XV motif. But here, it has been ‘modernized’ by the inclusion of the garland swags to each side. In addition, on the seat rail, this motif has been placed inside a decidedly rectilinear molding, further giving it a smart and modern interpretation.

Pieces like this offer a fascinating real-time glimpse into the creative process that joiners and carvers faced as they sought to determine how an evolving style would develop.

Dimensions:
Height: seat: 41 cm; back: 91 cm
Width: 63 cm
Depth: 56 cm