Set of two armchairs, two chairs and a chaise longue. France. Empire style, ca.1880.

Set of two armchairs, two chairs and a chaise longue. France. Empire style, ca.1880.
In mahogany wood. Gilt bronze saddles.
Original silk upholstery.
Spring seats.
The upholstery shows wear.
Measurements: 96 x 57 x 58 cm (chairs); 99 x 68 x 70 cm (armchairs); 101 x 166 x 72 cm (chaise longue).

French Empire style furniture set, consisting of two armchairs, two chairs and a chaise longue, which embodies with superb fidelity the aesthetic ideals of late imperial neoclassicism, reinterpreted in the historicist framework of the second half of the nineteenth century. The ensemble stands out not only for its formal rigor and material quality, but also for its powerful symbolic imagery, which refers to the splendors of ancient Rome, Egyptian art and the decorative language associated with the reign of Napoleon Bonaparte.

The overall structure is made of mahogany wood, with a warm and uniform grain. The forms are architectural and solemn, with a tendency towards compact volume and a silhouette defined by straight lines and contained curves, giving each piece a sculptural dignity.

The gilded bronze saddles, executed with goldsmith mastery, function as ornamental and structural elements. The armrests of the armchairs and the chaise longue are supported by sphinxes, emblematic creatures of the Empire, in the manner of Atlanteans. The legs of the chairs are enriched by the presence of griffins (lion-headed creatures with wings) which, together with the clawed feet, underline the mythological and military affiliation of the decorative repertoire.

The mahogany flanks are embellished with gilded bronze applications in the form of laurel strings and rosettes, emblems of triumph and glory. In harmony with these signs, the upholstery (made of a refined golden fabric on an imperial green background) presents an iconographic repertoire that dialogues with the metal: borders, lyres and laurel wreaths, evoking the Apollonian world of the muses and the balance between strength and harmony.