Exceptional Pair French Louis XVI Style Maison Jansen Attributed Bergere Chairs

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This elegant pair of French painted and parcel-gilt bergère armchairs, attributed to Maison Jansen and dating to the mid-20th century, … Read more This elegant pair of French painted and parcel-gilt bergère armchairs, attributed to Maison Jansen and dating to the mid-20th century, beautifully represents the firm's sophisticated approach to reviving the great French furniture traditions for modern interiors. Generously proportioned yet visually refined, the chairs combine the disciplined neoclassical vocabulary of the Louis XVI style with luxurious upholstery and the relaxed comfort expected of twentieth-century seating.

Each chair has a broad, gently shaped upholstered back enclosed within a finely molded painted frame. The arms are partially upholstered and terminate in beautifully carved supports, while the generous seats are fitted with substantial loose cushions, giving the pair an inviting and comfortable character. The exposed frames are finished in an attractive antique ivory or cream-painted surface, delicately relieved with gilt and muted polychrome details.

The straight seat rails are outlined with fine carved borders and supported by slender tapering fluted legs, one of the most recognizable characteristics of Louis XVI furniture. Square corner blocks are ornamented with carved floral paterae or rosettes, while restrained gilding accentuates the moldings, carving, and architectural details without overwhelming the graceful proportions.

The upholstery is particularly striking: a luxurious coral-pink, rose, cream, and pale gold striped textile decorated with flowering branches, foliage, and chinoiserie-inspired motifs. Its softly faded palette complements the aged painted finish beautifully and gives the chairs the established appearance of furnishings from an elegant European interior. As with any vintage upholstered furniture, the textile should not be assumed to be free of age-related wear, fading, pulls, staining, or other imperfections.

The attribution to Maison Jansen is especially interesting. Founded in Paris in 1880 by Dutch-born Jean-Henri Jansen, Maison Jansen developed into one of the most influential decorating firms of the twentieth century and operated internationally, with studios in major capitals around the world. The firm became celebrated for combining historically informed French decoration—particularly Louis XV, Louis XVI, Directoire, and Empire influences—with contemporary comfort and sophisticated twentieth-century taste.

Jansen's importance extended far beyond furniture manufacturing. It conceived complete interiors, bringing together antique furniture, newly manufactured pieces, textiles, lighting, wall treatments, architectural decoration, and works of art to create unified environments. Its clientele included European royalty and prominent international families. Perhaps its most famous American commission came during the Kennedy administration, when Jansen's celebrated designer Stéphane Boudin worked with Jacqueline Kennedy on the restoration and redecoration of the White House.

Interestingly, published material on Jansen specifically illustrates a circa-1955 Louis XV-style bergère, noting that this general chair form had long been a Jansen staple and was adapted for postwar interiors.

These chairs capture that same philosophy: historic French elegance translated into comfortable twentieth-century furniture. Their painted and gilt frames, fluted legs, floral carving, generous bergère proportions, and wonderfully decorative textile make them an impressive matched pair. Unless labels, stamps, invoices, or documented provenance are present, however, “attributed to Maison Jansen” remains the appropriate and responsible catalog designation.



Dimensions: 34.75 inches high x 30.5 inches wide x 28.5 inches deep. Seat Height 20 inches See less