Armchair

The presented piece of furniture is part of a pair of armchairs (S.932MŁ; S.933MŁ) made in the last quarter of the 19th century as an imitation of the Louis XVI style. French Classicism was the mark of the pre-revolutionary 'ancien régime' era considered the model of elegance. This piece of furniture is an example of the 'à la reine', i.e. 'queen's', style. Such armchairs and chairs, already known in the French Regency period and popularised in the time of Louis XV (Rococo) and Louis XVI (Classicism), are distinguished by their flat, slightly tilted, and upholstered backrests, as well as by the similar trapezoid seats with a gently curved front edge. They were mainly placed against a wall, due to their heavier and more stable structure, in contrast to the lighter 'cabriole'-type ones. During the imitation-focused period, classicizing Louis XVI-style furniture, on par with Rococo ones, were often copied as part of drawing room sets. Not only the shape of the structure and the decorative woodcarving, but also the upholstery was imitated. The presented armchair's factory-made jacquard upholstery fabric with a ornamental-floral motif resembles the tapestries made in the French royal manufactories in the 18th century. This piece of furniture has a curious history. The armchair was not part of the old Potocki collection. It arrived at the Museum-Castle after the war. Supposedly, it came from an unknown palace near or in Lviv, taken as spoils of war by a German officer; it was left in a hurry in Rzeszów, from where it was transferred to the collection of the museum in Łańcut, newly created after the end of the II World War. Edited by Teresa Bagińska-Żurawska https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9243-3967