A Carved Stained Oak Trompe l'Oeil Chair

AFTER A DESIGN BY V.P. SHUTOV, LATE 19TH CENTURY

Details

A Carved Stained Oak Trompe l'Oeil Chair
After a design by V.P. Shutov, late 19th century
The curved backrest and front legs in the form of a decorated yoke, the backrest carved with the Russian adage 'Tishe edesh' dal'she budesh' in stylized script, the arms carved as axes set in logs, the seat carved en trompe l'oeil to imitate a pair of gloves resting on woven matting, the backrest centering a balalaika terminating in a rooster's head and suspending a wooden bell
40½ in (102.9 cm.) high

Provenance

Sotheby's, New York, July 13, 2006, lot 332.
Acquired at the above sale by the present owner.

Brought to you by

Ksenya Malina

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Lot Essay

The original 'Arch, Axe and Gloves' chair, inspired by Russian national folk furniture of the 17th century, was first produced by Vasilii Shutov and exhibited at the All-Russian Manufacturing Exhibition in St Petersburg in 1870. It is probably from this original model, which inspired numerous later versions produced throughout Russia and remained popular for four decades, that the present lot takes its distinctive design. Emperor Alexander III reputedly purchased a similar chair and an example exists in the the Hermitage Collection (no. ERMB-481).

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