The form of the sofa, or canapé, was similar to that of the chair, as will be noticed by an examination of Plate [XLV.] Sofas were of the gondola, basket, or medallion form, and were slightly lower and deeper of seat than those of the former reign. Sometimes they had high wings or cheeks at the ends, something after the shape of No. 3, on Plate [XLVIII.], which gave them a cosy, comfortable appearance. A typical canapé is represented on Plate [XLVI.] The frame is of carved and gilded wood, and it is covered with tapestry in the style of Boucher. The central medallion represents a pastoral subject,—a child with a dog, cock, and birdcage with a border of roses and daisies, and on either side are two trophies of musical instruments. The seat is similarly covered. The sofa, No. 7, on the same plate, is one of De Lalonde’s. This has a good deal of metal work, and the familiar patera that is placed at the head of the leg, and, in fact, wherever the wood is joined. This “sopha” has four front legs. Like the model below there is an open space under the arm. The omission of the cushion stamps it of a later date.
The little rounded and low sofa was often called an ottoman; but this name is also applied to large pieces. For instance, No. 2, on Plate [XLIV.], is called “Ottoman à la reine.” This is by Ranson, who is also responsible for the sofa above it. The latter permits the square pillow as well as the round bolster. The varieties of the draped sofa, known variously as lit de repos, chaise longue, duchesse, bergère, à la turque, à la polonaise, à la chinoise, etc., are too numerous to mention, and merge into the bed. It is hard to tell even from the contemporary drawings what is a sofa and what is a bed, as both appear with and without canopies. For example, No. 6, on Plate [XLVI.], is called “sofa bed à l’antique.” The frame is of plain mahogany, and the drapery is arranged in scant festoons. This piece is very close in feeling to the Empire sofas, and the scroll end sofas of the early Nineteenth Century that exactly follow the outline produced by the bird, cushion and roll of No. 6. The duchesse is still composed of the fauteuil and tabouret. Sometimes it is made in three instead of two divisions.
The apartments of the Princesse de Lamballe consisted of an ante-chamber, a dining-room, a dressing-room, a billiard-room, a bedroom and a boudoir. They display the Louis XVI. furniture in full flower (1785). Some idea of the height of the rooms can, of course, be gained from the length of the curtains.
The ante-chamber contained twelve square chairs covered with yellow bazanne,[[20]] the frames painted white; a six-leaved screen covered with red cloth, 6 feet high; and a sofa-bed.
The dining-room was furnished with twenty chairs, three screens and a commode. The curtains, 14 feet, 6 inches high, were of heavy crimson silk trimmed with gold braid. The woodwork of the chairs was painted yellow, and they were covered with crimson panne velvet fastened by gilt nails on a gold braid. Two of the screens had six leaves and were 6 feet high. One was covered with crimson panne fastened by gilt nails on a gold braid; the other with crimson silk velvet, fluted and nailed similarly. The third screen was covered with crimson damask; its frame was carved and gilt. The commode was à la Régence, 4 feet long, of veneered wood with a marble slab on top, and two long drawers with lock-plates, rosette handles, chutes and shoes of copper gilt. The room was lighted by a splendid lustre of Bohemian crystal, with eight gilded branches (2 feet, 7 inches high and 2 feet wide); and a pair of arms, each with three rocaille branches (22 inches high and 15 inches wide). The heat was supplied by a grate.
The drawing-room was hung with green and white damask. It had a frieze of carved wood, partly gilt and partly painted white. Two large square arm-chairs, eighteen square chairs of gilded wood, four voyeuses, and two little chairs were covered with the same green and white damask as the hangings. The framework was carved and painted white. There were also twenty-four mahogany chairs with lyre backs, the seats of which were covered with green leather fastened by gilt-headed nails that touched one another. The window-curtains, of two lengths each (9 feet, 8 inches long), were of heavy green silk, trimmed with silk braid. A rich carpet covered the floor. The light was obtained by means of a Bohemian crystal lustre, over 3 feet high, with six silver branches and three pairs of sconce-arms. The fire-place was highly ornamental, and the tongs and shovel had gilded knobs.
The billiard-room was hung with green damask, and the curtains were of heavy green silk. Here were twelve chairs and four voyeuses, and a banquette covered with green Utrecht velvet, fastened with gilt-headed nails. The framework of these seats was painted white. There were also several stools and benches covered with green morocco.
The bedroom had a moquette carpet (14 feet, 6 inches by 25 feet) of a white background on which were ovals of green, upon which flowers tied with ribbons were represented. A very ornamental grate furnished the heat.
The boudoir reflected the taste of the age. The hangings and furniture coverings were of heavy silk with a white background, on which a lozenge design was represented, as well as bouquets of flowers tied with blue ribbons framed in a kind of trellis-like border. The frames of the furniture were carved and gilt. The seats consisted of a settee, with a square cushion, two pillows and two round bolsters; six square arm-chairs, a bergère with a square cushion, and a screen. The niche (6 feet wide and 9 feet, 9 inches high) was hung with the same material as the rest of the boudoir, and was lined with white silk. The window-curtains matched the alcove and bed draperies. There was a handsome lustre of rock-crystal with eight branches of copper gilt, a screen of crimson damask with a beech frame; an “ottoman en gondole” painted white, covered with crimson damask, fastened with gold nails to the frame, and equipped with a square hair pillow and two feather pillows with tassels; seven crimson damask arm-chairs and a walnut writing-table with drawer.
The apartments of Mlle. Guimard, the actress, in 1786, give excellent hints for furnishings of this period. In the ante-chamber, on the ground floor, were twelve chairs covered with green moquette, two buffets, a fountain with a filter, a stove, a wooden coffer and figures in the niches.