"indiscreet" Terminal, Napoleon III Period

Napoleon III Era "Indiscret" Bench

This circular bench, known as the "Indiscret," is an iconic piece of furniture representing the grand decorative luxury of France during the Second Empire. An original four-seater designed specifically for 19th-century reception rooms.

Its ingenious design allows it to separate into two distinct sections, forming two crescent-shaped sofas that can be arranged separately as needed.

The bench is presented with its original upholstery, a blend of velvet silk and passementerie in a harmonious palette of dusty rose and cream.

A History of Conversation: Invented during the reign of Napoleon III, this type of seat, also called a "confidant" or "indiscreet" depending on the number of seats, was created to revolutionize the art of conversation by allowing guests to talk without having to uncomfortably turn their heads. The name "indiscreet" comes from the third seat, which allowed an additional person to join a pair of confidants and potentially overhear their secrets or break the intimacy of a conversation—hence this witty, typically Parisian name.

French work,

Napoleon III period, 19th century

Height: 90 cm
Diameter: 180 cm