Set of eight chairs
A set of eight flat-back chairs from the Empire and Louis-Philippe period, in sculpted and gilded wood, having a rectangular back with a pleated-ribbon decoration, an apron adorned with roses, and sabre legs.
Two chairs are stamped Jacon D.R. Meslée. They were supplied by Georges Jacob and François Honoré Jacob (known as Jacob Desmalter), for the theatre at the Petit Trianon in 1810.
Six chairs are stamped Jacob for Georges-Alphonse Jacob. They match the above-mentioned chairs and were ordered by Louis-Philippe.
The two chairs stamped Jacob-D-RMeslée are marked « Trianonspectacle 1810 » in ink with the following numbers:
• PT 1363 (in red ink of the inventory of 1834)
• 5688 (in black ink of the inventory of 1839)
• T 4573 (of the inventory of 1855)
Four chairs stamped Jacob bear the firemark of the Château d’Eu and the two others are marked Dreux.
Size:
The two Empire chairs :
Height 91 cm 36 in
Width 37 cm 14 1/2 in
The six Louis-Philippe chairs
Height 91 cm 36 in
Width 38 cm 15 in
Bibliography:
The invoice of the first two chairs supplied by Jacob-Desmalter and the upholsterer François-Louis CASTELNAUXDARRAC, dated 25 July 1810, is worded as follows :
« 50 chaises en bois d’hêtre mise au couleur d’acajou,
couvertes en velours d’Utrecht bleu à larges raies,
galon faux or et clous dore lentille. Bois d’une haise
Pour l’appui du pourtour, l’avoir dégarni et regarni plus
fort. Total du premier pourtour; 2,824.82 » (D. Ledoux-
Lebard, Le Petit Trianon, 1989, p. 222)
DARRAC, who died in 1862, was one of the leading upholsterers of the early 19th century. He carried out many orders for the imperial residences (D. Ledoux-Lebard, Les ébénistes du XIX°, 2nd edition, p. 146).
The Theatre was originally called the Petit Théatre. Marie-Antoinette was responsible for having it built in 1778-1780, like the other houses of her retreat at the Petit Trianon. The theatre was designed by Richard Micque in the « antique » style.
In 1809, Napoleon decided to renovate the theatre for his second wife, Empress Marie-Louise. The fabric used by the upholsterer Darac was replaced by one in crimson red.
In 1837, Louis-Philippe renovated the Petit Trianon for his son the Duc d’Orléans, and these chairs seem to have been made at that time and were later transported to the Château d’Eu and the Chapel of Dreux (D. Ledoux-Lebard, op. cit., p. 364).