Lot Essay
The Grecian sofas, with Ionic-scrolled and columnar-supported ends and flowered and fluted enrichments, relate to the early 19th Century French/antique style promoted by Thomas Sheraton's The Cabinet Dictionary, London, 1803. The Grecian sofas, supplied en suite with a large sofa and pair of bergere chairs with multi-columned arm-supports, are likely to have been commissioned by Mr. Russell, later Sir Henry Russell, 2nd Baronet (d. 1852) for the 'magnificent' British Residency, which he occupied as Resident of Hyderabad from 1810. In 1816 he married Marie-Clotilde, daughter of Baron Benot Mottet de la Fontaine, the last Governor of Pondicherry, and the grand suite of ebony furniture is likely to have accompanied their return to England in 1821. The suite furnished the drawing-room and library of Swallowfield Park, which had been remodelled by William Atkinson (d. 1839) in the mid-1820s, and is illustrated in situ in Lady (Constance) Russell, Swallowfield and Its Owners, London, 1901, p. 302.
Sir Henry Russell's father, also Sir Henry and the 1st Baronet (d. 1836) had bought Swallowfield Park in 1820 on his return from India. He had been Chief Justice of Bengal, and soon after his return travelled to St. Helena where he visited Napoleon's house, New Longwood. It was the first Sir Henry who employed William Atkinson to remodel Swallowfield and it is possible that he commissioned this pair of daybeds while out in India, rather than his son.
Sir Henry Russell's father, also Sir Henry and the 1st Baronet (d. 1836) had bought Swallowfield Park in 1820 on his return from India. He had been Chief Justice of Bengal, and soon after his return travelled to St. Helena where he visited Napoleon's house, New Longwood. It was the first Sir Henry who employed William Atkinson to remodel Swallowfield and it is possible that he commissioned this pair of daybeds while out in India, rather than his son.