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拍品专文
These sumptuous silvered beechwood armchairs, and the four lots that follow, demonstrate a fascination with the extravagance of the court of Louis XIV. The present lot, upholstered in the Rothschild’s quintessential red velvet, was designed after the silver furniture that was popular in the courts of Europe in the 17th century. Originated by Louis XIV, the trend quickly spread to the courts of Germany, Denmark, and Russia.
During the style’s peak in France, from 1664-1682, many exceptional ensembles of silver furniture traveled with the king from residence to residence, moved around for important political, diplomatic, or family gatherings and otherwise stored in the furniture storage of Petit-Bourbon, near the Louvre. Only a few special pieces of silver furniture had permanent locations at Versailles and Saint-Germain (see Quand Versailles était meublé d’argent, C. Arminjon, ed., Versailles, 2008, p. 29-30).
French royal silver furniture persists to this day only via drawings and descriptions in royal inventories of Louis XIV’s collections. In 1689, after a series of unsuccessful military expeditions that left the royal coffers bare, Louis XIV had much of his vast collection of silver objects melted down, yielding approximately 20,000 tons of silver bullion which he used to pay his troops. However, before destruction many of these pieces exquisite forms were adapted into objects made of less valuable materials like gilt-bronze and wood. For other examples of this style, please see lots 222, 223, 224 and 225.
During the style’s peak in France, from 1664-1682, many exceptional ensembles of silver furniture traveled with the king from residence to residence, moved around for important political, diplomatic, or family gatherings and otherwise stored in the furniture storage of Petit-Bourbon, near the Louvre. Only a few special pieces of silver furniture had permanent locations at Versailles and Saint-Germain (see Quand Versailles était meublé d’argent, C. Arminjon, ed., Versailles, 2008, p. 29-30).
French royal silver furniture persists to this day only via drawings and descriptions in royal inventories of Louis XIV’s collections. In 1689, after a series of unsuccessful military expeditions that left the royal coffers bare, Louis XIV had much of his vast collection of silver objects melted down, yielding approximately 20,000 tons of silver bullion which he used to pay his troops. However, before destruction many of these pieces exquisite forms were adapted into objects made of less valuable materials like gilt-bronze and wood. For other examples of this style, please see lots 222, 223, 224 and 225.