Duchesse en bateau in beech on six curved legs

A rare boat-shaped duchess in beech with cane upholstery resting on six curved legs. The wide backrest is carved with acanthus leaves, leafy stems, water leaves, stylised shells on the shoulders and a pomegranate in the centre of the upper crosspiece. The curved arm brackets are also carved with various stylised leaves. The high crosspiece at the end of the duchesse is decorated in the same way as the back. The seat belt is richly carved with flowers in poly-lobed cartouches, water leaves and acanthus leaves.
Régence period
Minor restorations, modern upholstery, wickerwork, later frame.
H. 102 x W. 150 x D. 70 cm

The duchesse en bateau in our study is a seat to remember. As the duchesse was inherited from the 17th century daybed, the one we are presenting is all the more interesting as it dates from fairly early in the century. Dating from the Regency period, this duchesse is one of the rare examples to come onto the market. It is of very fine quality, particularly the carving on the belt and on the backrest.

Some duchesses very similar to ours come from illustrious collections, such as that of Madame Camouin reproduced in the book "Le siège français" by Madeleine Jarry and Pierre Devinoy (which suggests an attribution to Tilliard due to the exploded pomegranate motifs). Another duchess from the Alberto Bruni Tedeschi collection, sold on 21 March 2007 as lot 79 by Sotheby's London, offers a model comparable to ours. However, one from the famous Jacques Doucet collection, sold at the latter's auction on 7 and 8 June 1912 under lot 279 (presented in Part III), is even closer to our chair and has the same dimensions. Finally, we must draw a parallel with the Duchess from the Wrightsman collection, among others. It is reproduced in the book published by the Metropolitan Museum and edited by FJB Watson "The Wrightsman collection (volume I) and was sold at Christie's under lot 163 A on 17 November 2011. Also in cane, it features a sculpture almost identical to ours. The uncanny resemblance indicates that it was almost certainly made by the same carpenter.

This research into Régence-period duchesses of similar or equal quality clearly demonstrates their artistic, historical and aesthetic interest. How could so many collectors, some of them very famous, have had such good taste in owning such similar Regency boat duchesses? Men and women at different times, on different continents sometimes, have had in their collections, collections that were truly constructed and thought through without any doubt, seats that can be brought together in a study. A duchess of this level is therefore a true "collector's item".