Set of six Dutch cherrywood Louis XVI chairs

A set of six Dutch cherrywood chairs from the Louis XVI period. The chairs stand upon four straight, slightly tapering, fluted legs interconnected by straight stretchers. The corner blocks are decorated with oak leaves and interconnected by the straight apron, which is decorated with a floral carving, and carry the slip seat. The carving is repeated in the upper part of the slightly curving top rail, with rosettes at the corners. The open backrest is decorated with a vertical band of openwork floral patterns within an optically endless spiral.

Annigje Hofstede’s treatise on Dutch furniture describes these chairs as being of Frisian origin. This is evidenced by their construction, which gives the chairs a more solid build without compromising on elegance. During the reupholstering of the chair shown in Hofstede’s treatise, Frisian newspapers from 1781-1783 were found underneath the seat.