A Louis XV Savonnerie carpet, woven after a design by Chevillon, flowers attributed to Louis Tessier, circa 1750-1760

The Savonnerie workshop was founded under the impetus of Henri IV (r.1589-1610) who sought to encourage the production of luxurious French weavings to rival the pile carpets imported from Persia, Turkey, and India. Under Royal patronage, the manufactory flourished creating carpets solely for the order of the court, the palaces, and as diplomatic gifts.

During the reign of Louis XV, a small group of artists were commissioned to produce the designs for the Savonnerie carpets. The most well-known of these artists was Perrot and a magnificent Savonnerie carpet designed by him was sold at Christie’s, New York, 2 November 2000, lot 59. It was common practice for multiple artists to be involved in a single scheme, each specialising in a particular element, whether it be flowers, ornament or composition. After Perrot’s death, a number of artists vied for his position emphasising their role in his previous designs (P. Verlet, The Savonnerie - the James A de Rothschild Collection at Waddesdon Manor, Paris 1982, p.112).

One artist who claimed involvement in Perrot’s designs and was subsequently employed by the workshop was his student, Chevillon. His most notable commission was the design for carpets to furnish the buildings at the newly cultivated gardens at Trianon. The first structure, the Pavillon du Jardin Français was built in 1750 under Louis XV before it was expanded with the construction of the Salon Frais or Pavillon du Treillage several years later. The gardens of Trianon were later host to Marie Antoinette who used them to hold parties and concerts. By the late eighteenth century, it soon came to be known as the richest and most beautiful botanical garden in Europe.

The commission for the Pavillon du Jardin Français was ambitious and required a circular carpet in five parts that could be reformed into a square carpet if necessary. A watercolour by Chevillon showing four designs for the carpet is published in Verlet op. cit., p. 114, fig.70. Records of the payment for the design indicate that it was a collaboration between Chevillon and Tessier, who was responsible for the flowers. The watercolour itself has been annotated most likely in the hand of Vandières, whose first stage of approval is marked bon à choisir, and the King himself whose second stage of approval is denoted by bon or approuvé.

It was relatively rare for the Savonnerie workshop to produce only a singular carpet of a design, often with several produced of each design probably in response to carpets which were particularly well-received. This is demonstrated by five Savonnerie carpets, of a similar design with small variations, and comparable to the present example, one of which is in the Waddesdon collection (Verlet, op.cit. p.282, no.11). It is therefore likely that Chevillon’s designs for the Trianon carpet were kept and reused with alterations made to the original designs.

The right-hand quarter of the Trianon design, noted as approved by the King, bears close similarities with the present carpet. This carpet appears to be derived from the central section of that design, expanding the central roundel to dominate the field, with soft rocaille elements adorning the corners. Derived from the design for Trianon, it is unsurprising that carpet incorporates luxurious garlands of flowers and exuberant swags reflecting the botanical setting. Moreover, the pleated roundel reflects the interior of the pavilion, itself designed by Verbeckt, adorned with a pointed star. 

The influence of Perrot’s designs is clearly felt in this carpet with whose soft palette comprises shades of pistachio green, azure blue, golden-yellow and pastel pink against a dark ground. Chevillon has masterfully incorporated this into his own style with the soft, pleated rosette and delicately drawn rocaille elements. The exuberant and joyful design clearly exemplifies the magnificent royal Savonnerie weavings at the height of their production.