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Lot Essay
Military motifs such as appear on the back of this distinctive armchair became hugely popular after Russia's victory against Napoleon and this design relates to the work of the celebrated Russian architect and designer Karl Rossi (1777-1849). Clearly influenced by the designs of Percier and Fontaine, Rossi was one of the chief proponents of the Russian Empire style and had several commissions from the Imperial family, including the Dowager Empress Maria Fedorovna's corner sitting room at Pavlovsk (1816-17), some interiors at the Anichkov Palace (1816), and the palace and park on Yelagin Island (1818-1822). A settee with a closely related back based on one of Rossi's designs and now in the State Russian Museum at St Petersburg is illustrated in A. Gaydamak, Russian Empire, Paris, 2000, p.75.
The design of this chair was apparently a popular one, as an identical chair was sold from a Midwestern Corporation at Sotheby's, New York, 24-25 October 2002, lot 928. A virtually identical armchair but with an upholstered back was sold anonymously at Sotheby's, New York, 22 May 1997, lot 282 and a further upholstered chair with a higher back was offered at Brunn Rassmussen, Denmark, 2 October 1999, lot 1410.
The design of this chair was apparently a popular one, as an identical chair was sold from a Midwestern Corporation at Sotheby's, New York, 24-25 October 2002, lot 928. A virtually identical armchair but with an upholstered back was sold anonymously at Sotheby's, New York, 22 May 1997, lot 282 and a further upholstered chair with a higher back was offered at Brunn Rassmussen, Denmark, 2 October 1999, lot 1410.