Chair
- Place of origin:
- Date:
- Artist/Maker:
Georges Jacob, born 1739 - died 1814 (maker)
- Materials and Techniques:
Carved and gilt walnut, with original(?) hemp(?) close webbing, and modern striped silk top covers
- Credit Line:
- Museum number:
- Gallery location:
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This chair (one of a set of four and two armchairs) bears the stamp of the most fashionable Paris chair-maker of the late 18th century, Georges Jacob. One of his principal patrons was Louis XVI's queen, Marie-Antoinette, and he supplied her with several sets similar to this one in the 1780s, for various French royal palaces. The history of the present set is not known, but the carved decoration - including Cupid's bows with quivers of arrows, and wreaths of flowers -- suggests that it was made for a lady's bedroom or boudoir.
The upholstery dates from the 1960s (although the webbing under the seat may be original), but its square profile is based on the style of upholstery fashionable in late 18th-century Paris.
Physical description
Chair of carved and gilt walnut, carved decoration including cupid's bows with quivers of arrows, and wreaths of flowers.
On this chair, in the trophy on the top rail, the single arrow points to the left, and the left side of the wreath lies behind the trophy (as on 1062-1882 and in reverse to 1062B-1882).
Place of Origin
Paris, France (made)
Date
ca. 1785 (made)
Artist/maker
Georges Jacob, born 1739 - died 1814 (maker)
Materials and Techniques
Carved and gilt walnut, with original(?) hemp(?) close webbing, and modern striped silk top covers
Marks and inscriptions
'G.JACOB'
Dimensions
Height: 86 cm, Width: 46.6 cm at widest point of seat, Width: 37.5 cm at back of seat, approx., Depth: 51.8 cm, Depth: 45.5 cm of seat, approx., Height: 43.5 cm of upholstered seat, Height: 35.5 cm of seat rails
Descriptive line
Chair, carved and gilt walnut with modern striped silk covers, by Georges Jacob, France, about 1785
Exhibition History
Princely Treasures: European Masterpieces 1600-1800 from the V&A (National Museum of Korea (Seoul) 02/05/2011-28/08/2011)
Labels and date
[Label text by Peter Thornton]
Four chairs
French (Paris); about 1785
Stamped 'G. Jacob' with a fleur-de-lys
Carved and gilt beechwood; modern upholstery
By the eminent chairmaker Georges Jacob who provided much furniture for the French royal household. These chairs were probably made for some luxurious closet belonging to a lady: the cupids' bows, quivers of arrows and wreaths of flowers would have made them particularly appropriate for such a setting at that period.
Jones Collection
Museum No. 1062 to C-1882 [1980]
Materials
Walnut
Subjects depicted
Flowers; Arrows; Wreaths (costume accessories); Quivers; Bows (weapons)
Categories
Furniture; Woodwork
Collection code
FWK
