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THE PROPERTY OF A LADY (LOTS 77-87)
The two impressive pairs of fauteuils offered en suite as lots 80 and 81, were executed by the menuisier Pierre Bernard (maître in 1766) whom the Comte de Salverte describes as 'L'un des plus habiles de sa spécialité' [one of the most accomplished of his trade]. Bernard's production is noted for its excellent quality of execution, perfectly balanced proportions and intricate carved decoration. But what is perhaps his greatest strength, as Nicolay effusively notes, is his adaptability to the transitional style and ability to harmoniously marry the waisted shapes of the graceful perennial Louis XV with the straighter powerful lines of the emerging Louis XVI. The gently waisted back and acanthus supports of the present fauteuils are paired with an entirely neo-classical répertoire both in terms of the lines followed and the carved decoration used: it is indeed such perfect harmony which typifies the virtuosity of the menuisier.
A COLLABORATION WITH THE SCULPTEUR JOIGNY
Bernard is recorded to have worked with the talented sculpteur Charles Joigny for his most important commissions. The quality of the carved decoration featured on the present fauteuils and impeccable finition which distinguishes them, would indeed suggest that these were probably embellished by the sculpteur Joigny. The present fauteuils are incredibly closely related to seats from a suite executed circa 1768-69 by the foremost menuisier Louis-Charles Carpentier, maître in 1752. The suite comprises a set of six armchairs virtually identical to the present fauteuils, featuring a rope-twist waisted back, shaped supports and a conformingly-carved bowed seatrail, on fluted tapering legs (ill. ibid, p.339, pl.171 and sold Christie's, London, 19 May 1966, lots 110 and 111, whilst a further related example by Carpentier is shown pl. 178). Intriguingly, two of the armchairs by Carpentier are additionally stamped 'C.J.Y.M' which some authors suggest may refer to the menuisier Claude Javoy (maître in 1779) whilst others including the Comte de Salverte and Eriksen note that the mark most certainly corresponds to that of a sculpteur. Could this tantalizingly unidentified stamp be that of the sculpteur Charles Joigny who, as mentioned above, is also recorded to have worked with Bernard? A joint collaboration with Joigny would indeed explain the close similarities amongst many of the seats executed by the two celebrated menuisiers.
Eriksen illustrates a further closely related chair by Carpentier, featured in Alexander Roslin's portrait of Henri Léonard Jean-Baptiste Bertin (1720-1792), contrôlleur Général des Finances under Louis XV. As the painting is dated 1769 the chair used by the sitter probably dates to the same year or most likely predates the painting by a year or two (ill. Ibid, pl.447, and P.Verlet, La Maison, fig.37 for an image of the chair now in a private collection). The ability to date the Carpentier chair with such precision certainly allows the dating of the present fauteuils to circa 1768-70. The use here of the stamp 'P.Bernard' in the traditional straight line further supports this dating. As Salverte explains, Bernard is recorded to have used several stamps, with his name inscribed in the form of a circle or of a half circle, and only began using the stamp featured here after the disappearance of his cousin and namesake circa 1770.
With their distinctive transitional features, the fauteuils offered here are also reminiscent of the oeuvre of the celebrated menuisiers Nicolas Heurtaut and Louis Delanois. Such close similarities can be seen on a fauteuil by Heurtaut of overall comparable form and proportions, featuring the same gently waisted rounded back and shaped supports, which Eriksen also dates to circa 1768-70 (ill. S. Eriksen, Neo-Classicisim in France, London, 1974, p. 90, pls.170 and 167, and by the same author Louis Delanois, Paris, 1968, pl. XXII to XXV and XXXI for related seats circa 1765-70 by Delanois).
Interestingly, several fauteuils by Bernard also bear the stamp of his fellow menuisier and friend Nicolas-Simon Courtois which, as Nicolay notes, suggests that the two may have collaborated on occasions. Nicolay illustrates what would appear to have been a fruitful collaboration between the two in L'art et la Manière des Maîtres Ebénistes Français au XVIIIè Siècle, Paris, 1956, pp.19-20, figs. G, H and I). Further related examples stamped by both menuisiers include a rope-twist carved fauteuil executed circa 1780, now in the Cabinet des porcelaines in the Musée Nissim de Camondo, Paris (no. 272); a suite of seat furniture sold from the Champalimaud Collection, 6-7 July 2005, lot 63, and a bergère sold Christie's, New York, 24-25 September 1997, lot 280.
A more uncommon but very plausible explanation is supplied by Bill Pallot who explains that in the case of Bernard and Courtois, the presence of both stamps does not denote that the two collaborated but instead that Courtois took over Bernard's atelier, which prompted him to sell the latter's stock. Consequently, Bernard would have most probably kept the right to inspect goods sold by his successor to his former clients in instances where he would have recommended Courtois, as was the case when Jean-Baptiste-Claude Sené took over Carpentier's business (Ibid, p.31).
Bernard's avant-garde and innovative style is exemplified by a set of six fauteuils and two bergères à pans coupés or with canted angles, executed circa 1780 and now at Waddesdon Manor (ill. G. de Bellaigue, The James A. de Rothschild Collection at Waddesdon Manor, Furniture, Clocks and Gilt Bronzes, vol. II, London, 1974, pp.608-11, no. 130), whilst a further related example by the menuisier is in the Musée des Arts Décoratifs, Paris (inv. No.D7960). The menuisier worked extensively for the marquis de Laborde (1724-1794), fermier général under Louis XV, to whom he supplied seat furniture namely for his residence of Méréville, France.
A PAIR OF LOUIS XVI GILTWOOD FAUTEUILS
BY PIERRE BERNARD, CIRCA 1768-70 AND PROBABLY CARVED BY THE SCULPTEUR CHARLES JOIGNY
Details
A PAIR OF LOUIS XVI GILTWOOD FAUTEUILS
BY PIERRE BERNARD, CIRCA 1768-70 AND PROBABLY CARVED BY THE SCULPTEUR CHARLES JOIGNY
Elaborately-carved overall, each with a waisted laurel-carved padded back, arms and seat covered in floral green cut-silk velvet, the leaf-wrapped arms on piastre-carved supports, above a rope-twist beaded seat, on turned tapering and fluted legs headed by rosette paterae and terminating in toupie feet, each stamped 'P.BERNARD'
40½ in. (103 cm.) high; 26¾ in. (68 cm.) wide; 23¾ in. (60.5 cm.) deep (2)
BY PIERRE BERNARD, CIRCA 1768-70 AND PROBABLY CARVED BY THE SCULPTEUR CHARLES JOIGNY
Elaborately-carved overall, each with a waisted laurel-carved padded back, arms and seat covered in floral green cut-silk velvet, the leaf-wrapped arms on piastre-carved supports, above a rope-twist beaded seat, on turned tapering and fluted legs headed by rosette paterae and terminating in toupie feet, each stamped 'P.BERNARD'
40½ in. (103 cm.) high; 26¾ in. (68 cm.) wide; 23¾ in. (60.5 cm.) deep (2)
Provenance
'Collection de Monsieur X', Palais d'Orsay, Paris, 14 December 1979, lot 122 (a set of six).
Ader Tajan, Paris, 29 June 1994, lot 60 (a set of six).
Piasa, Hôtel Drouot, Paris, 5 April 2000, lot 65 (a set of six).
With Partridge Fine Arts, 2001, where acquired by the present owner.
Ader Tajan, Paris, 29 June 1994, lot 60 (a set of six).
Piasa, Hôtel Drouot, Paris, 5 April 2000, lot 65 (a set of six).
With Partridge Fine Arts, 2001, where acquired by the present owner.
Brought to you by
Caitlin Yates
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