Gilded French Louis XV Bergere Chairs
You must be a subscriber, and be logged in to view price and dealer details.
Subscribe Now to view actual auction price for this item
When you subscribe, you have the option of setting the currency in which to display prices to $Au, $US, $NZ or Stg.
- Gilding - Gilding is a method of ornamentation whereby a thin sheet of gold metal is applied to items made of wood, leather, ceramics, glass and silver for decorative purposes.
For furniture including mirrors, the sheet of gold is usually applied over a coating of gesso. Gesso is a mixture of plaster of Paris and gypsum mixed with water and then applied to the carved wooden frames of mirrors and picture frames as a base for applying the gold leaf. After numerous coats of gesso have been applied, allowed to dry and then sanded a coat of "bole", a usually red coloured mixture of clay and glue is brushed on and allowed to dry, after which the gold leaf is applied. Over time parts of the gilding will rub off so the base colour can be seen. In water gilding, this was generally a blue colour, while in oil gilding, the under layer was often yellow. In Victorian times, gilders frequently used red as a pigment beneath the gold leaf.
Metal was often gilded by a process known as fire gilding. Gold mixed with mercury was applied and heated, causing the mercury to evaporate, the long-term effect of which was to kill or disable the craftsman or woman from mercury poisoning. The pursuit of beauty has claimed many victims, not the least of which were the artists who made those pieces so highly sought after today.
This item has been included into following indexes:
-
chairs, singles / pairs / threes, style or period
- bergères (armchairs) 166
- French 949
- Louis XV 353
Visually similar items
Pair of antique French Louis XIV highback armchairs, carved walnut leaf capped arms (2)
A Louis XVI style gilt framed canape, the running ribbon carved canape with a floral crest, curved leaf form arm rests, having an oval tablet back and padded sides and raised on slender fluted tapering legs; well upholstered in a gold and deep pink ribbon,
A pair of oak Louis XIII style armchairs, circa 1940, upholstered in multicoloured velvet brocade, with a high arched padded and studded back, curved arms, the cushioned seat similarly upholstered, terminating in square and knopped legs with turned H form
A French walnut Louis XV fauteuil, 3rd quarter 19th century, in the rococo manner with a scrolled and foliate frame, the top rail with cartouche, a serpentine stuffed seat, and a decorative shaped apron terminating in cabriole legs, upholstered in raspberr