Object Description
European Savonnerie Carpet
5.60 x 4.00 m
Savonnerie pieces are undoubtedly the most prestigious of all European knotted pile carpets; the Savonnerie manufactory was first established in 1615, by Pierre DuPont, in a disused soap factory downstream of Paris, in part in response to a desire among the aristocracy to reinvigorate the French decorative arts. Until 1768, Savonnerie carpets remained the exclusive property of the French royalty, and served as some of the nation’s most high-value diplomatic gifts, gracing the palaces of the nobility all across Europe. The Savonnerie fashion enjoyed particular favor during the reign of Napoleon, as a staple of Empire Style design, popular internationally among those seeking to emulate the tastes of the French upper classes. Waddesdon Manor, a Victorian mansion well-known for its vast collection of French artworks, possesses nineteen of these Savonnerie carpets.
This example, dating to the late 19th Century, features a wonderfully delicate floral design, set over an ivory ground, in muted duck-egg blue and champagne tones. The composition employs an understated, balanced drawing in the central field, framed by a soft hazelnut border.
A 19th Century Savonnerie carpet, in very good to excellent condition; a rare find, of an impressive size and with a rich heritage, to suit a wide variety of spaces.