Biedermeier Russian Baltic Armchairs in Curly Birch, 1835, Set of 4

Details

Description

Set of four identical armchairs in curly birch (Karelian birch), circa 1835/40. The backrests are designed as broad, shouldered plank … Read more Set of four identical armchairs in curly birch (Karelian birch), circa 1835/40. The backrests are designed as broad, shouldered plank backs and are inclined backwards; the legs taper backwards in a saber shape. This silhouette is based on the ancient klismos form, which was revived in the Classical and Biedermeier periods.

The armrests are strongly curved and terminate at the front in a striking volute in a spiral shape and fine wooden inlay work, a hallmark of high-quality Russian furniture from this period. The seat tapers toward the back, from an internal width of 53 cm (outer dimension 60 cm) at the front to an internal width of 38 cm at the back (outer dimension 44 cm).

Each backrest features a dark inlay: a symmetrical palmette and delicate floral elements. Delicate dark wood inlays on a light background are the characteristic decorative principle of Russian Biedermeier, which here is considerably more elaborate than in the restrained German Biedermeier of the same period.

The veneer displays the densely speckled, almost eye-like grain of Karelian birch, a honey-colored wood that was considered a hallmark of high-quality furniture in Russia and the Baltic region.

Upholstery and Covering

The seats have been newly upholstered with a Höpke furniture fabric: Baronesse collection, fabric type Valetto 754. The fabric is highly lightfast and colorfast, chlorine- and saltwater-resistant, and flame-retardant. The upholstery was designed so that the cover fabric can be changed at any time by an upholsterer without altering the overall construction.

About the Style

Russian Biedermeier combines the homely design language of German-Austrian Biedermeier with the light, flowing elegance of the French Charles X style. The Tsarist court and the high nobility were oriented toward French aesthetics; French cabinetmakers worked in St. Petersburg, and designs circulated between Paris and Russia. Unlike in Germany, where Biedermeier was a bourgeois retreat, in Russia it remained a style of the aristocracy, and the woods, forms, and decorations were correspondingly more elaborate.
\. Dimensions and Design

Seat height: 51 cm
Back height: 87 cm
Armrest height: 68.5 cm
Seat width (front): 60 cm (outer) / 53 cm (between armrests)
Seat width (back): 44 cm (outer) / 38 cm (inner)
Seat depth: 51 cm
Material: Curly birch (Karelian birch), veneered
Decoration: Dark inlay on the back panels
Shape: Klismos/trestle chair shape, curved armrests with volute, saber legs
Number: Four armchairs
Upholstery: Newly reupholstered, striped floral damask
Origin: Russian/Baltic
Date of origin: 1835
Condition: Professionally restored, completely reupholstered, new shellac See less