ARMCHAIR FROM A SUITE, ONE OF 12

Creator(s): Louis Tessier (Designer) , Gobelins Tapestry Manufactory (Manufacturer)

On view in: French Drawing Room

About this object

By contrast with Aubusson and Beauvais, who produced tapestries for the court as well as a wealthy clientele, Gobelins worked mainly for the King. This chair belongs to a suite of twelve chairs and two canapés that were ordered from the Gobelins factory by Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette in 1784. They formed part of a generous diplomatic gift presented to Prince Henry of Prussia, brother of Frederick the Great, when he visited Paris in 1784 under the name comte d’Oels. These items were particularly appropriate for a Francophile and patron of the arts such as Prince Henry, who, upon his departure from Paris, lamented, "I have passed half my life wishing to see France--I shall pass the other half in regretting it."

Part of a suite of two sofas and twelve chairs. Of the twelve chairs, only two have tapestries with the same design - all the rest are different. The carved gilt wood frames are old but are probably not period. The sofas and chairs each have four pieces of tapestry, two large pieces for the back and seat, and two smaller pieces one for each arm. The tapestry for the backs are oval in shape with an urn-shape vase with a bouquet of flowers. About this is a border of laurel between two twisted ribbon borders. The seats have each a cluster of large flowers with the same border. The pieces of tapestry on the arms have each a spray of flowers. The set consists of two large sofas and twelve chairs, all the designs of the tapestries being different except for the tapestries for two chairs which are alike. The flowers and other designs are in colors on a white (now ivory) ground in contrast to the rose damask ground which was more usual for diplomatic gifts at the time.

Object name:

ARMCHAIR FROM A SUITE, ONE OF 12

Made from:

Gilt wood -- wool -- silk

Made in:

Paris, France

Date made:

1784-1786 (tapestry); 19th century (frame)

Size:

106.7 x 75.6 x 67.3 cm (42 x 29 3/4 x 26 1/2 in.)

Detailed information for this item

Catalog number:

31.84

Class:

FURNITURE

Signature marks:

MARK

Credit line:

Bequest of Marjorie Merriweather Post, 1973