Object Description
This is a beautiful antique French Louis XV revival carved giltwood tub shaped Bergère, dating from Circa 1880.
The wingback armchair with hand-sculpted giltwood frame that envelopes the plush claret damask fabric upholstery all around, with wingback extensions and fully upholstered armrests. The seat back is elegantly contoured, down to the padded armrests, and the armchair is raised on elegant cabriole legs.
Add a touch of unparalleled grandeur to your home with this stunning chair.
Condition:
In excellent condition having been beautifully cleaned polished and reupholstered in our workshops, please see photos for confirmation.
Dimensions in cm:
Height 109 x Width 80 x Depth 75
Dimensions in inches:
Height 3 foot, 7 inches x Width 2 foot, 7 inches x Depth 2 foot, 5 inches
Giltwood
There is no doubt that giltwood furniture is an expression of grandeur and luxury. The golden hue of these pieces comes from the application of real gold leaf—a highly valued material both then and now. When it comes to buying antique giltwood furniture for your collection, there are many different considerations to keep in mind, many of which come down to personal preference.
Origins of Giltwood
The gilt gesso technique appeared in England at the end of the seventeenth century with the work of Jean Pelletier, a Huguenot craftsman who received royal patronage at Hampton Court and Kensington Palace. James Moore, a royal cabinetmaker working in the early eighteenth century, expanded on this technique with increased drama and exaggeration to the carving. Throughout the Georgian era in the eighteenth century, gilded furniture was highly prized as some of the finest furniture available as it emulated the ever popular taste for French style and décor.
The Technique
Gesso is a type of plaster that is prepared of finely ground chalk, applied onto the wooden surface in a series of layers—at least fifteen layers were needed to achieve the desired thickness. Once dried, the craftsmen could cut into the new surface to create different designs. When the designs were complete, the gilding could be applied. To gild the surface, a red clay ground, known as bole, would be spread onto the surface to prepare for the laying of the gold leaf.
Our reference: A3006