Set of Four French Louis XIII Style Os de Mouton Dining Chairs in Millefleurs Tapestry
A set of four French-style dining chairs in the Louis XIII / Os de Mouton manner, comprising two armchairs (fauteuils) and two side chairs. (Images 6 and 7 show all four together; the apparent eight are the four chairs photographed from both front and back.) Frames are solid hardwood (likely oak or beech) with a warm walnut-toned finish. The defining structural feature is the os de mouton ("sheep bone") leg and stretcher system—the front legs and serpentine H-stretcher are carved in the characteristic undulating, scrolled bone shape associated with mid-to-late 17th-century French provincial seating. The two armchairs feature boldly scrolled, sweeping open arms terminating in rolled volute hand-holds, supported on scroll-form arm posts. Backs are tall and upright with a gently arched, camel-topped crest rail. The upholstery is the strongest decorative element: a verdure/millefleurs tapestry-style fabric in the medieval mille-fleurs tradition (evocative of the Unicorn Tapestries / Cluny style). The ground is dark—near-black to deep forest green—densely worked with stylized flowering plants, berries, and scattered woodland animals in cream, taupe, and gold: rabbits/hares, greyhound-like hounds, and small deer or fawns. Accent blooms appear in dusty rose, mauve, salmon, and pale blue. Seats and both faces of the backs are fully covered, so the chairs present finished on the reverse and are suitable for floating placement. Accompanying the set are coordinating accent pillows in distinct tapestry panels—one with a single large seated hare in profile, another with a collared hound—drawn from the same design family.
Each chair measures approximately 43 in. high × 24 in. deep × 22.5 in. wide.
Inherited
Yes
Hi Christopher,
Thank you for contacting Mearto with your appraisal inquiry.
These chairs embody the Baroque aesthetic, emerging in the early 17th century and reaching its fullest expression during the reign of Louis XIV, the style was designed to communicate the wealth and authority of the French monarchy and aristocracy.
Rather than emphasizing restraint or simplicity, Baroque furniture sought to impress through dramatic forms, rich materials, and elaborate ornamentation.
The term "os de mouton" is a fairly outdated term and one that's very infrequently used by collectors and dealers today, who usually prefer the term "crooked leg".
Bergeres and fauteuils are both French armchairs in which the arms are upholstered, with the former being closed whereas the latter are "open"; even without upholstery on the arms, they are still called "fauteuils".
The tapestry style upholstery fabric on these chairs are lovely but so finely worked that I suspect these were originally intended to be used in a living room or parlor rather than a dining room, where accidental food or beverage spills would have been inconvenient and potentially damaging.
These chairs were made in the late 19th Century as part of the Revivalist movements; while I can't find enough specific elements to enable me to link them to a particular maker, I can find several similar examples of comparable chairs selling at auction to evaluate the set at $600-1,200 (note that retail or private sellers might list chairs they are selling for higher retail prices).
Based on the photos and information provided, and subject to examination, this is:
A set of four Louis XIII style tapestry upholstered walnut chairs
unattributed maker, late 19th Century or early 20th Century
comprising two armchairs and two side chairs, each upholstered with patterned fabric with deer and hare on a dark ground surrounded by flowers.
Overall height: 43 inches
CONDITION: all appear to be in good condition.
PROVENANCE: Inherited
$ 600-1,200 for the set of four*
*represents a fair-market value for auction purposes; retail or asking price may vary.
Please let us know if you have additional items to appraise, or questions/concerns, and thank you again for using Mearto.
~ Delia
