An Empire Period Fauteuil – Desk Chair

An early nineteenth century walnut fauteuil or open armchair with upholstered back and seat, having a finely flamed crest rail, the arms, headed by carved scallop shells and supported by square tapering legs, the front surfaces inset with carved foliage, anthemia and five-pointed mullet ornaments.

This armchair was made at the turn of the nineteenth century and stylistically retains late eighteenth century elements – namely a lightness of form associated with the Directoire Period. Yet the broad flame veneered crest rail and restrained emblematic carved ornament is distinctively Empire in flavour, thus rendering this piece transitional in its design.

This fauteuil would once have belonged to a long suite of seating furniture including side chairs and canapés. It would have formed part of the furnishings of a grand salon in a French manoir. The use of walnut was still very much in fashion particularly in provincial towns where mahogany was less readily available. As possessions were split amongst family members as part of post-revolutionary inheritance law, sets of seating furniture were often broken up as they passed down through generations. While this fauteuil would once have existed within a formal salon setting, it would now make a perfect desk or dressing table armchair.