The Emperor Napoleon's Bed at Palais de Compiègne

PROVENANCE

Delivered circa 1807/8 by Jacob-Desmalter et Cie to the Palais de Compiègne for l’appartement double de Prince, where it remained until 1858 when sold by the Garde-Meuble Impérial.
At that stage most probably acquired by a member of the Rochefoucauld family.
Later in the collection of the marquis and marquise de Amodio y Moya, at their Paris mansion at 93 rue de l’Université (historic home of the Rochefoucauld family), until it was recently sold as part of the marquis de Amodio y Moya’s deceased estate.


LITERATURE

Richard Redding Antiques Ltd, "The Emperor Napoleon's bed at Palais de Compiègne"
Charles Percier and Pierre François Léonard Fontaine, “Recueil des Décorations Intérieurs”, 1812 edition, pl. 60, illustrating a design for a bed for Monsieur Oz à Paris, of almost identical design.

A rare and highly important carved and partially gilded Directoire lit en bateau by Jacob Frères which was delivered circa 1807/8 by Jacob-Desmalter et Cie to the Emperor Napoleon’s residence at Palais de Compiègne for l’appartement double de Prince,bearing numerous inventory stamps for the Imperial palace including one numbered C 1459 (for 1817) as well as further numbering in chalk C 5668. The front of the bed with ornate gilt painted carvings featuring at either end a lotus crest above an outward facing ram’s head capital upon a columnar support, each of which is wrapped with anthemion and acanthus leaves to the lower part and is supported on a splayed base ornamented with foliate sprays on lion paw feet, suspended from each of the ram’s heads is an abundant ribbon-tied swag carved with flower heads, pine cones, seed pods and fruit above a beautiful pair of carved winged sphinxes, each wearing a laurel wreath in her hair and having a foliate tail with one paw raised to touch the adjacent outer columnar support, the whole on a plain rectangular base, fitted underneath with its original wooden rollers (repositioned during the early nineteenth century) so that it could easily be moved when necessary

Paris, date 1800
Height 122 cm, length 215 cm, width 130 cm.