A Louis XV Carved Giltwood Canapé à Confidents, Mid-18th Century

The Chapelle Collection, 6 July 1989, lot 128

Bernard Steinitz, Paris

This impressive and bold sofa is called a canapé à confidents for its particular shape with corner seats flanking the main section, supposedly encouraging discreet conversations – an example of the inventiveness of Parisian interior decoration in the 18^th century, always in search of the next fashionable furniture item, and certainly created in harmony with the wall panelling.

The graceful symmetrical line of the top rail is interspersed with vigorously carved ribbon- joined fleurettes and rose clusters which have further acanthus with open carving to the joints of the central and side seats. The lower rail has acanthus motifs and fan shaped knees. These motifs are seen in the productions of different menuisiers of the period including Jean Avisse (maître 1745), who is particularly known for the elegance of his creations and quality and depth of his floral carvings. A canapé à confidents stamped by Avisse and Jean-Baptiste Lebas, formerly in the Karl Lagerfeld collection, displays a similar design to the present lot, also using the fan-motif and carved fleurette carvings (offered Sotheby’s Paris, 17 December 2002, lot 107).