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Lot Essay
Mathieu de Bauve, maître menuisier in 1754
This remarkable fauteuil of goût grec design is amongst the chefs-d'oeuvre of Mathieu Bauve. Master in 1754 his style changed dramatically in the 1760's when he went on to produce a few avant-gardist goût grec masterpieces. This includes the suite of bergères reputedly made for Queen Marie-Antoinette's theatre at Versailles (an example is illustrated in P. Kjellberg, Le Mobilier Frangais du XVIIIe Siècle, Paris, 1998, p. 105.) and the canapé from the Rémilleux collection sold at Christie’s, Paris, 28 September 2015, lot 316 (sold 421,500 Euros). Another example of his remarkable skill in executing late Louis XV designs is a fauteuil sold Ader Picard Tajan, Paris, 14 June 1983, lot 145 (illustrated Kjellberg, op. cit., p.49).
The present fauteuil is en suite with a pair of bergères by Bauve at Versailles, which were given by the Duchess of Windsor in 1973 and are now in the apartments of Madame du Barry. They are illustrated and discussed in P. Arizzoli-Clémentel, Versailles Furniture of the Royal Palace, Dijon, 2002, Vol. II, no.81, pp.230-231. The distinctive scrolled and voluted bracket legs also feature on a suite of seat-furniture by Mathieu Bauve from the Champalimaud collection sold at Christie’s, London, 6 July 2005, lot 120 (£366,400).
This remarkable fauteuil of goût grec design is amongst the chefs-d'oeuvre of Mathieu Bauve. Master in 1754 his style changed dramatically in the 1760's when he went on to produce a few avant-gardist goût grec masterpieces. This includes the suite of bergères reputedly made for Queen Marie-Antoinette's theatre at Versailles (an example is illustrated in P. Kjellberg, Le Mobilier Frangais du XVIIIe Siècle, Paris, 1998, p. 105.) and the canapé from the Rémilleux collection sold at Christie’s, Paris, 28 September 2015, lot 316 (sold 421,500 Euros). Another example of his remarkable skill in executing late Louis XV designs is a fauteuil sold Ader Picard Tajan, Paris, 14 June 1983, lot 145 (illustrated Kjellberg, op. cit., p.49).
The present fauteuil is en suite with a pair of bergères by Bauve at Versailles, which were given by the Duchess of Windsor in 1973 and are now in the apartments of Madame du Barry. They are illustrated and discussed in P. Arizzoli-Clémentel, Versailles Furniture of the Royal Palace, Dijon, 2002, Vol. II, no.81, pp.230-231. The distinctive scrolled and voluted bracket legs also feature on a suite of seat-furniture by Mathieu Bauve from the Champalimaud collection sold at Christie’s, London, 6 July 2005, lot 120 (£366,400).