Napoleon III Style Louis XV Fleur-de-lis High Chair

High chair for standing support, "Fleur-de-Lys"
France, Napoleon III period, circa 1860.
Carved beechwood, stained and patinated with gold, upholstered in velvet.
Height: 115 cm.
Very good condition.

General Description:
High chair for support intended for standing, with a seat intentionally inclined forward. This model is not designed for prolonged sitting, but for occasional support in a near-vertical position. Made in France during the Second Empire, under the reign of Napoleon III, this piece reflects the historicist aesthetic with a faithful reinterpretation of Louis XV style forms.
Its overall height of approximately 115 cm clearly emphasizes its function as a support for standing.

Materials and Techniques:
Solid carved wood frame, probably beech, with a dark lacquered finish and gilt patina highlights on the raised areas. The seat is upholstered in deep burgundy velvet, decorated with a woven fleur-de-lis motif. The rim is highlighted by a decorative studded band.

Function and Use:
The pronounced incline of the seat reveals the specialized function of this chair. It is neither a boudoir chair nor a religious seat, but a service chair intended for use while standing.
This type of furniture was used
by reception and reception staff (doormen, protocol officers),
by musicians and conductors in salons,
waiting areas, and control rooms, where prolonged standing was required.

Decoration and Style:
The design of the base faithfully reproduces the vocabulary of the Louis XV style: S-shaped cabriole legs, shaped stretchers, sculpted scrolls, and rocaille motifs. The top of the backrest is adorned with a shell, an emblematic element of the Rococo style. The combination of dark lacquer and gilt highlights is characteristic of Napoleon III furniture.
The fleur-de-lis decoration, here purely ornamental, reflects the 19th-century historicist taste for symbols of the Ancien Régime.

Dating and Historical Context:
Circa 1855–1870. The Second Empire marked a strong return to 18th-century styles, particularly Louis XV. This stylistic revival is expressed in both salon furniture and service furniture intended for formal interiors, music rooms, and bourgeois residences.

Condition:
Stable and well-preserved structure. Carved decoration and finishes preserved. Very limited signs of wear. Very good condition.

Ref: S-79