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Lot Essay
With their distinctive tall scrolling backs, these elegant chairs are rare examples of Heurtaut's oeuvre of the 1760s. The design of the backs shows a distinctive Turkish influence, which was particularly en vogue from the Louis XV period. In the 1780's the Comte d'ARtois redecorated and refurnished his apartments in Versailles and and installed a cabinet turc. An identical chair is illustrated in B. Pallot, The Art of the Chair is 18th Century France, Paris, 1987, p. 252.
Nicolas Heurtaut was elected maître-menuisier on 22 August 1753, but had already been appointed sculpteur en bois in 1742. Initially, Heurtaut worked as an ornamental sculptor, and embellished chairs executed by, for instance, Claude Sené and the Tilliard brothers. After obtaining his maîtrise in 1753, he continued to carve his own chairs, a practice rarely approved by the guild (B. Pallot, ibid, pp 234-235 and 240).
Nicolas Heurtaut was elected maître-menuisier on 22 August 1753, but had already been appointed sculpteur en bois in 1742. Initially, Heurtaut worked as an ornamental sculptor, and embellished chairs executed by, for instance, Claude Sené and the Tilliard brothers. After obtaining his maîtrise in 1753, he continued to carve his own chairs, a practice rarely approved by the guild (B. Pallot, ibid, pp 234-235 and 240).