Louis XVI Style 3-Seater Bench with Damask Upholstery from Balzarotti Paris

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Description

A french-style piece made by the parisian manufacturer balzarotti in the late 20th century, modeled after louis xvi and french … Read more A french-style piece made by the parisian manufacturer balzarotti in the late 20th century, modeled after louis xvi and french neoclassical designs; it is not an 18th-century original. The high, laterally recessed backrest, the fluted legs, and the continuous ornamental molding of the frame create a symmetrically designed, clearly structured form, whose tranquil basic structure is defined by the large-format damask upholstery. Historical context: with the louis xvi era, french seating furniture broke away from the dynamic lines of the rococo and embraced an architecturally ordered design language: straight, fluted legs, right-angled leg joints with rosette cubes, and symmetrically placed ornamental bands. Multi-seat upholstered benches and canapés were standard furnishings in salons and reception rooms and were placed along the wainscoting as part of a furniture set; their height and visual impact were tailored to this wall-related placement. The parisian menuisiers workshops of the late 18th century, among them the jacob workshop, established proportions and a canon of detail that remained a reference point well into the 20th century. Parisian manufacturers continued to develop these forms in period pieces; industrially woven jacquard fabrics made large-scale damask patterns available for prestigious interiors.

features: manufacturer's label balzarotti paris present on the furniture. Two-tone upholstery: seat, backrest, and cushions in a large-scale damask pattern, sides and armrests in a small-scale geometric diamond pattern.

design: louis xvi style, french neoclassicism. The frame is carved, finished in cream/ivory, and accented with gold-colored details. The design follows the neoclassical canon: tapered, fluted legs, square leg sockets with carved rosettes, and an ornamented front apron with a continuous wave band. The backrest is high and tapered at the sides, crowned with a carved ribbon and floral motif; the armrests terminate in volutes above fluted supports. Decorative upholstery tacks frame the upholstery and emphasize the contours of the frame. The ornamentation is uniform and complements the overall form.

dimensions: height 109 cm × width 182 cm × depth 65 cm, seat height 48 cm. Material and condition: carved wooden frame, painted cream with gold ornamental accents; upholstery in red, orange, and gold, three loose seat cushions. Good vintage condition with signs of age and use; minor chips and abrasions in places on the light-colored paint and gold sections. Inspected and cleaned by a court jeweler. See less