Royal French stool, Paris circa 1780

Rare stool called "à la chancelière" in beech wood gilded with leaf.
Rectangular model resting on four spindle legs, roughened with asparagus and connected to the crosspieces by flower dice.
The upper part with three backrests upholstered in shepherdess, two side with recesses and one in the shape of a "policeman's hat" at the back.
Traditional trim, natural horsehair on strap, covered with embroidered silk.

Partial label of "Chatard" gilder of Garde Meuble de Couronne* on the reverse of the rear crosspiece.

Beautiful state of conservation, in its original gilding.

Parisian work from the Louis XVI period around 1780.

Dimensions:

Height: 44cm; Width: 47cm; Depth: 49cm


*Privileged supplier to the Garde-Meuble under Louis XVI, Louis-François Chatard (circa 1749-1819) was both a master painter, gilder and perfumer.
The mastery and finesse he demonstrated in his first specialty earned him important royal commissions, in particular for the castles of Versailles and Saint-Cloud, where he worked on the seats of Séné, Boulard, or Tilliard.




Footmuff stools:

- Van den Elzen collection, identical model but in lacquered wood, stamped François Foliot.

- Louvre Museum, delivered in 1787 for the cabinet of Marie-Antoinette in Saint-Cloud.
- Louvre Museum, two models from the bequest of Count Isaac de Camondo in 1911, one stamped by Georges Jacob and the other attributed to the latter (see. B. Pallot, Le Mobilier du Musée du Louvre, Dijon, 1993 , pp. 142 and 143).
-Christies Paris, former collection of the Duke of Talleyrand, November 26, 2005, lot 201. (delivered in 1788 for the Service du Roi for the Salon de la Félicité in Saint-Cloud)
-Sotheby's Paris sale of April 27, 2017, Lot 116 (10625 euros), bearing the inventory number N°31 of the furniture storage.

Our opinion :

The stool that we present is of the greatest rarity, it was ordered by the furniture guard of the crown from one of its major suppliers, before being gilded by Louis François Chatard, the official gilder painter of the institution. and join a royal residence.
We do not know much about the exact mode of use of these stools sometimes called "footstool", "spur stool" or more simply "foot stool" in the records of the storage unit.
In the 18th century, the footmuff was a stuffed bag for the feet and it seems obvious to us that this type of seat, which often accompanied a shepherdess in the model, was intended for the comfort of the feet.
However, we can see on the paintings of the time that its use was diverted from the beginning for the benefit of pets.
Under the aegis of Jean Jacques Rousseau, the question of animal welfare will take an important place, from then on, small cats and other Pugs will benefit from the same incredible luxury as their prestigious masters.
The cabinetmakers will compete in ingenuity to create comfortable niches but certain pieces, intended until then for the masters, will be completely diverted in favor of the four-legged companions.