In the Jones Collection, at South Kensington, there are also several charming examples of Louis Seize meubles de luxe. Some of these are enriched with plaques of Sêvres porcelain, to which the more jewel-like mounting of this time is better adapted than the rococo style which was in vogue during the preceding reign.
ARM CHAIR OF LOUIS XVI. STYLE.
The upholstered furniture became simpler in design; the sofas and chairs have generally, but not invariably, straight fluted tapering legs, which sometimes have the flutings spiral instead of perpendicular: the backs are either oval or rectangular, and ornamented with a carved riband which is represented as tied at the top in a lover's knot. Gobelins, Beauvais, and Aubusson tapestry are used for covering, the subjects being in harmony with the taste of the time. A sofa in this style, with settees at the ends, the frame elaborately carved with trophies of arrows and flowers in high relief, and covered with fine old Gobelins tapestry, was sold at the Hamilton Palace Sale for £1,176. This was formerly at Versailles. Beautiful silks and brocades were also extensively used, both for chairs and for the screens, which, at this period, were varied in design and extremely pretty. Small two-tier tables of tulip wood with delicate mountings were quite the rage. The legs of small occasional pieces, like those of the chairs, are occasionally carved. An excellent example of a piece with cabriole legs is the charming little "Marie Antoinette" cylinder-fronted marqueterie escritoire in the Jones Collection (illustrated below). The marqueterie is attributed to Riesener, but from its treatment being so different from that which, as an almost invariable rule, he adopted, it is more probably the work of David.
CARVED AND GILT CAUSEUSE OR SETTEE, AND FAUTEUIL OR ARM CHAIR.
Covered with Beauvais Tapestry. (Collection "Mobilier National.")
(From a pen and ink drawing by H. Evans.)
PERIOD: END OF LOUIS XVI.