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Lot Essay
Georges Jacob, maitre in 1765
The distinctive embroidery of these chairs is of a type known as satin brodé aux Indes. It seems that the term refers more to a type of embroidery than to a place of origin. It is probably best understood as embroidered in the style called des Indes. These motifs were inspired by designs of the Fables de la Fontaine probably executed for the Manufacture d'Aubusson (a set of this design was sold Hôtel Drouot, 16-17 June, 1911, lot 212). The original embroidery has been restored, cut and re-upholstered onto a modern silk backing.
This embroidery closely resembles that on a suite of six chairs and two bergères by Nicolas Quinibert Foliot from the collections of the duc de Penthièvre at the château de Chanteloup and previously at the château de Sceaux, now at Waddesdon Manor (see G. de Bellaigue, The James A. de Rothschild Collection at Waddesdon Manor, 1974, vol. II, pp. 596-601).
The Foliot suite is described in an inventory at Chanteloup in the cabinet of apartment no. 2: 'deux bergères à carreaux six chaises en plein, à châsis et gros de Tours broché fond blanc représentant les fables de la Fontaine. Les bois sculptés rechampis en or'. On the third of March 1794 they were again mentioned being 'couverts de gros de Naples, fond blanc, brodé aux Indes, représentant les Fables de La Fontaine.'
The duc de Penthièvre must have had a particular fondness for that type of embroidery as in the salon of château de Chanteloup there were twenty one chairs upholstered in yellow satin des Indes, and the duc's oratory was also furnished with 'gros de Naples brodé fond soucy Fables de La Fontaine'.
Furthermore, in July of 1778, the embroiderers Bauduin and Boucher delivered for the duc's apartment at the château de Sceaux a 'meuble de satin blanc brodé de soie créme'. This set was executed by Georges Jacob, who was the menuisier of the duc. One of the armchairs in this set was also embroidered with a subject taken from Fables de la Fontaine: The stork and the fox. Two chairs were decorated with birds and garden trophies and the screen was embellished with a panel decorated with goats and sheep.
In January of that same year these embroiderers also supplied more than 16000 livres of embroideries with motifs of knotted bunches of silk for a room at Sceaux.
The distinctive embroidery of these chairs is of a type known as satin brodé aux Indes. It seems that the term refers more to a type of embroidery than to a place of origin. It is probably best understood as embroidered in the style called des Indes. These motifs were inspired by designs of the Fables de la Fontaine probably executed for the Manufacture d'Aubusson (a set of this design was sold Hôtel Drouot, 16-17 June, 1911, lot 212). The original embroidery has been restored, cut and re-upholstered onto a modern silk backing.
This embroidery closely resembles that on a suite of six chairs and two bergères by Nicolas Quinibert Foliot from the collections of the duc de Penthièvre at the château de Chanteloup and previously at the château de Sceaux, now at Waddesdon Manor (see G. de Bellaigue, The James A. de Rothschild Collection at Waddesdon Manor, 1974, vol. II, pp. 596-601).
The Foliot suite is described in an inventory at Chanteloup in the cabinet of apartment no. 2: 'deux bergères à carreaux six chaises en plein, à châsis et gros de Tours broché fond blanc représentant les fables de la Fontaine. Les bois sculptés rechampis en or'. On the third of March 1794 they were again mentioned being 'couverts de gros de Naples, fond blanc, brodé aux Indes, représentant les Fables de La Fontaine.'
The duc de Penthièvre must have had a particular fondness for that type of embroidery as in the salon of château de Chanteloup there were twenty one chairs upholstered in yellow satin des Indes, and the duc's oratory was also furnished with 'gros de Naples brodé fond soucy Fables de La Fontaine'.
Furthermore, in July of 1778, the embroiderers Bauduin and Boucher delivered for the duc's apartment at the château de Sceaux a 'meuble de satin blanc brodé de soie créme'. This set was executed by Georges Jacob, who was the menuisier of the duc. One of the armchairs in this set was also embroidered with a subject taken from Fables de la Fontaine: The stork and the fox. Two chairs were decorated with birds and garden trophies and the screen was embellished with a panel decorated with goats and sheep.
In January of that same year these embroiderers also supplied more than 16000 livres of embroideries with motifs of knotted bunches of silk for a room at Sceaux.