These chairs and sofas were upholstered with many of the textiles used in the reign of Louis XIV. One of the most popular coverings was Gobelin or Aubusson tapestry representing the graceful designs of Watteau, or Æsop’s Fables. Utrecht velvet and Lyons damask with floral designs were also popular, as well as silk brocaded with coloured flowers. Sometimes a braid or lace (a very favourite pattern being the rat-tooth, “dent de rat”) was used to hide the nails; but the material was also tacked to the frames by gilt-headed nails placed so close together that they touched one another.
A typical pattern of the period is shown in the sofa on Plate [XXXII.]
Turning now to special descriptions of chairs at Versailles, we find in 1722, “two fauteuils of varnished walnut and open-work cane; the manchettes (elbow-cushions) and backs upholstered in lemon-coloured leather,” the backs curved; three fauteuils of varnished walnut wood and cane with sweeping backs and console feet, and carved with several ornaments; twelve chairs with backs, of cherry wood and open-worked cane, the backs having sweeping curves and feet in consoles, carved with various ornaments, including shells. The latter stood 39 inches high, including back, the seats measured 16 inches. In 1729, “six fauteuils of cane and cherry-wood carved with several ornaments and varnished, the backs curved and the elbows cushioned.” They were upholstered in red leather with a braid of gold, nailed with gilt-headed nails. Also “four fauteuils of beech-wood, varnished and cane, had curved and carved backs ornamented with a carved border all around the seat, the arms also carved at the ends.” These were upholstered in lemon-coloured leather fastened with silver-headed nails placed close together.
In 1730, there were “fourteen chaises à la Reine, covered with crimson and gold damask, the frames carved and gilt.” Also “three chaises à la Reine covered with crimson and gold damask nailed to the frames with gilt-headed nails, very close together, the frames painted red and gold;” also “four fauteuils and two tabourets of walnut covered with black leather;” and finally a chaise d’affaires, the frame on a background of black lacquer and “aventurine de Japon,” with landscapes and birds in relief in colours and gilt in the borders, a mosaic of mother-of-pearl and copper wire à la Chinoise. The chair was lined with red lacquer, and the cushion was green velvet. This remarkable chair was 19 x 15 inches wide and 19 inches deep. The chaise à la Reine, mentioned above, had a very low seat with a very high back.
In the same year, there are two fauteuils, Chinese style, painted at the Gobelins, with cartouches, representing figures, birds, Chinese houses, etc. The border was of carved and gilt wood, the feet hinds’ feet, the backs ending in a shell, and the seats and backs covered with crimson damask.
In 1736, two banquettes of beech-wood, delicately carved and varnished, 24 inches long, 14 inches deep and 15 inches high, have seats of cane, each supplied with a hair cushion covered on both sides with crimson damask, tufted. There were also three tabourets like the above, only shorter,—16 inches long, 14 inches deep and 16 inches high.
In 1737, a tall chair of beech lightly carved appears, the curved back filled with cane, and the seat, lemon-coloured velvet fastened with silver-headed nails, standing on four hinds’ feet. Two little chairs of gilt cane, the backs curved, the wood delicately carved and gilt are also mentioned.
In 1751, six chairs of fine straw were made, each with two cushions for the seat, the back of crimson damask, tufted; and six folding-stools covered with crimson damask garnished with a gold fringe, the wood painted red picked out with gold, for M. le Dauphin.
Several arm-chairs of a new shape appear. One, usually placed by the hearth near the fire, is of the “gondola” form. The ornamentation, of course, followed the general style of the room. This is the period at which they began to take the name of fauteuil de bergère, or marquise (see Plate [XXXVI.], No. 1). The bergère, or “burjair,” played a very important part in the new styles put forth by Chippendale, Ince and Mayhew, Heppelwhite and others. It was, as a general rule, quite large, wider than it was deep, and the seat was not very high from the floor. The bergère was sometimes accompanied by a tabouret, which was placed immediately in front of the chair, and made of it a kind of chaise longue.
In this reign arm-chairs were also made, especially for desks. Until this time, they always used any ordinary chair, or arm-chair at the desk. The new arm-chair for this purpose was of the “gondola” form, usually with back and seat of cane, the elbows adorned with cushions (manchette) and covered with leather. This chair spread out even more generously, and the legs were balanced as follows: one was placed directly under each elbow, a third directly in front, and the fourth in the centre of the back. Some of these arm-chairs were equipped with a removable leather cushion.