Lot 517
FINE ELEVEN-PIECE SUITE OF LOUIS XVI PAINTED AND PARCEL-GILT AUBUSSON COVERED SEAT FURNITURE
CIRCA 1770
Auction: Day Two: 19 May 2022 | From 11:00
Description
comprising a canape and ten fauteuils, with arched backs with carved ribbon cresting, above bow-front seats flanked by part-padded arms with stop-fluted supports, raised on tapered stop-fluted legs ending in toupie feet, one armchair inscribed '66' or 'GG'; covered in Aubusson tapestry with floral garland borders enclosing laurel-wreath medallions depicting children, animals, and scenes from Jean de la Fontaine's Fables
Dimensions
Canape 184cm wide, 115cm high, 65cm; chairs 64cm, 102cm high, 55cm deep
Provenance
Provenance:
Originally commissioned for the Château de Vaulserre, Saint-Albin-de-Vaulserre, Isère, France
Sotheby's, London, 1 December, 2005, lot 218, Property of a Lady, where purchased by the vendor's family and thence by descent
Footnote
Note: The Château de Vaulserre, originally the seat of the de Clermont family, was considered one of the finest château of the Dauphiné, and later was owned by the Corbeau de Aint Franc family. The Aubusson covers mostly appear to be taken from Jean de la Fontaine's series of tales published from 1668-1694. Taken from various sources but relying heavily on the works of Aesop, Babrius, and Phaedrus, among others, as well as the Indian Bidrai, the tales often incorporated anthropomorphic animals in moralist predicaments, and were widely popular.