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拍品专文
These pliants, or folding stools, richly ornamented with lush foliage, treillages and flower-filled entrelacs, are faithful reproductions of those delivered to the Garde Meuble de la Couronne circa 1735-1740 for use in the State Apartments. The maker, or makers, of those stools is not known, but Royal furniture in that era was supplied to the court by the best furniture makers, including members of the Foliot and Tilliard dynasties. A pliant of this model is also depicted in the 1751 portrait of Louis XV by Carle Van Loo.
Folding stools of this type were employed almost exclusively at the royal court, and their use was strictly regulated by the hierarchical dictates of etiquette, whereby courtiers were required to be seated on stools in the presence of the King or Queen, who alone were permitted a chair with arms, emblematic of the power of the throne, a symbolic link extending from as early as the Middle Ages. Thus, the inventory of Louis XIV's mobilier listed no fewer than 1,323 stools at Versailles. The tradition extended right to the end of monarchical rule in France. Even Marie Antoinette, always keen to decorate her private apartments in the latest fashions, furnished her Grand Appartement with pliants and tabourets.
Nine examples of this model are now in Louis XIV's Bedchamber at Versailles, all acquired since 1951, along with two early copies and a modern copy made in 1978 (see D. Meyer, The Furniture of Versailles, Dijon, 2002, vol. I, p. 30, cat. 1.).
The following examples of pliants of this model are recorded, although it is difficult to trace which might be duplicates of examples from earlier sales:
- a pair from the collection of Mme. de Polès, sold Galerie Georges Petit, Paris, 22-24 June 1927, lot 219
- a pair in the Grellou collection (see P. Devinoy, Le Siège en France du Moyen Age à Nos Jours, Paris, 1948, figs. 81-84), and probably the pair acquired by Versailles in 1951
- a white-painted and parcel-gilt pair from the collection of Lady Baron, sold Sotheby's, London, 17 April 1964, lot 58
- a pair in the Wrightsman Collection in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, each marked with a Versailles brand (obj. nos. 1971.206.9-10)
- a single example, formerly in the Georges Hoentschel Collection, now in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York (obj. no. 07.225.484)
- a pair from the collection of Antenor Patiño, sold Palais Galliéra, Paris, 6 June 1975, lot 96, acquired by Versailles
- a single stool, lacking gilding and instead with brown and beige decoration, from the collection of Marietta Tree, sold Sotheby Parke Bernet, New York, 8-9 October 1976, lot 351, probably one of three acquired by Versailles in 1976
WINSTON AND C.Z. GUEST
Winston Frederick Churchill Guest, a descendent of the famed English Churchill family, and his wife Lucy Douglas ‘C.Z.’ Guest were passionate collectors, especially of Asian art. Winston was exposed to Chinese culture and Chinese porcelains as a Marine in the Pacific theater during World War II. ‘C.Z.’ Guest was a woman of many talents: an actress, author, designer, gardener, figure skater, equestrian and style icon. Guest’s discerning nature extended into her homes, especially her Long Island residence, Templeton, designed by renowned French firm Maison Jansen and Stéphane Boudin. As a muse, C. Z. Guest was imaged by Warhol, Salvador Dalí and Cecil Beaton.
Folding stools of this type were employed almost exclusively at the royal court, and their use was strictly regulated by the hierarchical dictates of etiquette, whereby courtiers were required to be seated on stools in the presence of the King or Queen, who alone were permitted a chair with arms, emblematic of the power of the throne, a symbolic link extending from as early as the Middle Ages. Thus, the inventory of Louis XIV's mobilier listed no fewer than 1,323 stools at Versailles. The tradition extended right to the end of monarchical rule in France. Even Marie Antoinette, always keen to decorate her private apartments in the latest fashions, furnished her Grand Appartement with pliants and tabourets.
Nine examples of this model are now in Louis XIV's Bedchamber at Versailles, all acquired since 1951, along with two early copies and a modern copy made in 1978 (see D. Meyer, The Furniture of Versailles, Dijon, 2002, vol. I, p. 30, cat. 1.).
The following examples of pliants of this model are recorded, although it is difficult to trace which might be duplicates of examples from earlier sales:
- a pair from the collection of Mme. de Polès, sold Galerie Georges Petit, Paris, 22-24 June 1927, lot 219
- a pair in the Grellou collection (see P. Devinoy, Le Siège en France du Moyen Age à Nos Jours, Paris, 1948, figs. 81-84), and probably the pair acquired by Versailles in 1951
- a white-painted and parcel-gilt pair from the collection of Lady Baron, sold Sotheby's, London, 17 April 1964, lot 58
- a pair in the Wrightsman Collection in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, each marked with a Versailles brand (obj. nos. 1971.206.9-10)
- a single example, formerly in the Georges Hoentschel Collection, now in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York (obj. no. 07.225.484)
- a pair from the collection of Antenor Patiño, sold Palais Galliéra, Paris, 6 June 1975, lot 96, acquired by Versailles
- a single stool, lacking gilding and instead with brown and beige decoration, from the collection of Marietta Tree, sold Sotheby Parke Bernet, New York, 8-9 October 1976, lot 351, probably one of three acquired by Versailles in 1976
WINSTON AND C.Z. GUEST
Winston Frederick Churchill Guest, a descendent of the famed English Churchill family, and his wife Lucy Douglas ‘C.Z.’ Guest were passionate collectors, especially of Asian art. Winston was exposed to Chinese culture and Chinese porcelains as a Marine in the Pacific theater during World War II. ‘C.Z.’ Guest was a woman of many talents: an actress, author, designer, gardener, figure skater, equestrian and style icon. Guest’s discerning nature extended into her homes, especially her Long Island residence, Templeton, designed by renowned French firm Maison Jansen and Stéphane Boudin. As a muse, C. Z. Guest was imaged by Warhol, Salvador Dalí and Cecil Beaton.