12: Western European Furniture of the Baroque and Rococo Periods

Armchair

Circa 1749

Attributed to Nicolas Quinibert Foliot

Paris, France

Carved and gilded oak; red velvet with silver embroidery

This chair is associated with a series of furniture commissioned by Louise-Elizabeth, the daughter of Louis XV, Duchess of Parma for the ducal palace in Parma. A mark stamped on the stretcher confirms this provenance: the CR beneath the crown should be deciphered as "Casa Reale" - the palace to which the armchairs from the set were removed. The stamps were placed on them about 1885. This group of furniture is believed to have been created by Nicolas Foliot, who was awarded the title of master in 1729. Foliot is known to have made deliveries for the royal court.

The Hermitage chair retains its original upholstery. The ornament embroidered in gilded silver combines splendidly with the carved decor of the back and stretcher, complementing it by repeating and varying the s-curves and garlands of the carving.