Louis XVI Cabinet Or Desk Armchair In The Style Of Jean-baptiste Séné

Beautiful cabinet or office armchair from the Louis XVI period. Convertible in shape, its shape is very rare due to this original medallion backrest flanked by cheeks on the sides in the style of a shepherdess. The tops of the backrest decorated with wreaths of very finely carved oak leaves with tassels, the side uprights decorated with coiled ribbons. Tapered and fluted legs. Very refined model, Parisian production in finely carved beech. End of the 18th century, circa 1780. The excellent quality of this seat and its finishes (windings of the armrests, oak leaves) and its strong originality (medallion backrest with cheeks) are the signature of a great Parisian master carpenter. It is probably a work of Jean-Baptiste Séné (or maybe of Jacob). The Sièges en Société exhibition (from Mobilier National) presented Séné's seats with backrests in a similar spirit. (see our chair presented 2 years ago https://www.gslr-antiques.com/fr/boutique/sieges/fauteuil-lxvi-sene-velours-soie-orange.php). However, a luxury production also developed in Lyon where seats were manufactured with the medallion backrest integrated and protruding from a side structure. Without a stamp, it is difficult to establish an attribution with certainty. Our seat is a cutting edge production from the end of the 18th century, a stylistic attempt by a good seat carpenter who had the audacity to create a new model. At first glance, one could take it for a neo Louis XVI seat from the 1900s, yet it dates from the last fires of the Ancien Régime. So much so that connoisseurs often call this type of production "Marie Antoinette style", a very refined and feminized version of the Louis XVI style Armchair fully restored with the highest quality criteria, a beautiful fabric with a light blue line. Formerly stripped seat which has been relaunched. Very interesting collector's seat, rare model, in excellent condition. Total height: 97cm Seat height: 43.5cm Width: 61cm Depth: 52cm