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Lot Essay
Nicolas Heurtaut, elected maître-menuisier on 22 August 1753, had already been appointed sculpteur en bois in 1742.
These magnificent fauteuils are an example of the 'symmetrical rococo' developed by Heurtaut and some of his contemporaries in the late 1750 and early 1760s. The generous proportions, distinctive outline of the backs, but particularly the characterictic carving to the top and seat-rails can be seen on various other pieces by Heurtaut illustrated in B. Pallot, L'Art du Siège au XVIIIe Siècle en France, Paris, 1989, pp. 204 and 251.
These fauteuils are part of a celebrated suite of seat-furniture, partly stamped by Nicolas Heurtaut, who was responsible for the entire suite. It comprises:
- a pair of fauteuils, unstamped, upholstered in contemporary tapestry woven with poppies, sold in Paris, 22 March 1983, lot 84.
- another pair, stamped by Heurtaut, sold in Monaco, Ader Picard Tajan, 27 May 1984, lot 104 and again at Sotheby's Monaco, 26 February 1992, lot 191; illustrated in B. Pallot, L'Art du Siège au XVIIIème Siècle en France , Paris, 1987, p. 251.
- another, stamped, sold anonymously at Sotheby's New York, 3 May 1986, lot 86.
- a final fauteuil in the Cleveland Museum, attributed by Henry Hawley to Heurtaut.
This suite therefore originally comprised eight fauteuils in the 18th Century.
These magnificent fauteuils are an example of the 'symmetrical rococo' developed by Heurtaut and some of his contemporaries in the late 1750 and early 1760s. The generous proportions, distinctive outline of the backs, but particularly the characterictic carving to the top and seat-rails can be seen on various other pieces by Heurtaut illustrated in B. Pallot, L'Art du Siège au XVIIIe Siècle en France, Paris, 1989, pp. 204 and 251.
These fauteuils are part of a celebrated suite of seat-furniture, partly stamped by Nicolas Heurtaut, who was responsible for the entire suite. It comprises:
- a pair of fauteuils, unstamped, upholstered in contemporary tapestry woven with poppies, sold in Paris, 22 March 1983, lot 84.
- another pair, stamped by Heurtaut, sold in Monaco, Ader Picard Tajan, 27 May 1984, lot 104 and again at Sotheby's Monaco, 26 February 1992, lot 191; illustrated in B. Pallot, L'Art du Siège au XVIIIème Siècle en France , Paris, 1987, p. 251.
- another, stamped, sold anonymously at Sotheby's New York, 3 May 1986, lot 86.
- a final fauteuil in the Cleveland Museum, attributed by Henry Hawley to Heurtaut.
This suite therefore originally comprised eight fauteuils in the 18th Century.