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Armchair (3 of 4)
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These chairs belong to a suite that includes a settee (also in the CMA’s collection) and a tapestry made for a count and countess to mark their wedding in 1717. Furniture of this scale was usually placed against the wall in grand reception halls, more as a display of wealth than for use. Upholstered in Savonnerie tapestries, this suite was among the most treasured and expensive example anyone could own and typically reserved for royalty. <br> <br>To add decorative and intellectual interest to the textiles, weavers incorporated symbols depicting various stories from the <em>Fables of Jean de La Fontaine</em>, published from 1668 to 1694 and largely adapted from Aesop and other early storytellers.
| Artist / Maker | Anonymous, Chaillot Workshops |
|---|---|
| Date | before 1717 |
| Culture / Origin | France |
| Medium | carved wood, Savonnerie knotted-pile (symmetrical rug knot) upholstery; wool, hemp |
| Dimensions | Overall: 121.9 x 70.5 x 55.3 cm (48 x 27 3/4 x 21 3/4 in.) |
| Department | Decorative Art and Design |
| Type | Furniture and woodwork |
About the Artist
Royal Savonnerie Manufactory, Chaillot Workshops (French, est. 1627) Full biography →
Provenance & Source
Image & data: Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 / Public Domain.
Condition
A detailed condition report and high-resolution photography are available from our specialists in advance of the sale.
Shipping & Collection
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