Offered by GSLR Antiques
Rare set of 6 formal armchairs. Said "à la Reine", with medallion back and arm brackets decorated with acanthus leaves, they rest on fluted spindle feet, the crosspieces and the top of the back carved with flowers in high relief. Beginning of the Louis XVI period, 1775-1780. 4 seats are stamped of Pierre Brizard.
Pierre Brizard, sculptor & seat maker, master in 1772. Born in 1737, he is the younger brother of Sulpice Brizard, master in 1762. His production is rare but elegant, mostly in the Louis XVI style. Sculptor in addition to his training a seat maker, Pierre Brizard realized himself his sculptures, in a very detailed way and in strong relief like our seats.
In the 18th century, the seats with frame are the most refined production of the armchairs. Their removable upholstery (back, armrests, seat) embedded in a rebate, allows them to be changed to receive a velvet or tapestry for the winter and a light silk for the summer. Our seats are also characterized by the elegance of their proportions, of a very "Greek style" put in fashion at the end of the Louis XV period of which we still feel some influences on our armchairs although the stylistic repertoire of the whole is already very neoclassical. Each seat is unique with a different flower pattern at the top of each back. Also, the frames are specific to each seat. Thus, we find engraved numbers underneath (to be able to easily reassociate the upholstery to the frame), up to the number 16 for one of our seats. A set of 6 seats not separated is already very rare, but when you realize that they were originally a set of at least 16 identical seats, you can imagine the size and wealth of the castle or mansion which they originally came from.
Our chairs are in excellent condition, they were probably repainted 100 years ago, around 1900. Traditional horsehair upholstery. For the cover we have chosen a new pineapple silk damask from Tassinari and Chatel. A prestigious fabric for unusual seats, in the Louis XVI style, but still with Louis XV influences. It is a choice that could have been found in one of the great collections from the early 20th century (Cognacq-Jay, Jacquemard André, Rotschild or Camondo).
Nice set of amateur.
Width 65cm
Backrest heights 102,5cm
Seat heights 41cm
Depth 60cm