The Lyre Chair — Louis XVI Carved Side Chair, Chalk White, Linen Seat

About this object

The lyre is one of the great motifs of Louis XVI furniture — chosen by the craftsmen of 18th century France because it carried the dual meaning of classical antiquity and musical refinement. This chair, produced by a Jodhpur atelier supplying French furniture to designers and heritage hotels worldwide, honors that tradition with precision. The lyre back design has been in continuous production for over fifteen years, refined twice, unchanged since. The back splat is a hand-carved lyre in full — curved outer frame, seven vertical string bars, a central rosette at the base, all held within a rectangular back frame of fluted column stiles with carved rosette capitals. The seat rail carries a hand-carved bead-and-rope border. The four legs are fluted and tapered. The chalk white finish is applied by hand and sits in that precise register between fresh plaster and old ivory. The round linen seat is upholstered in natural oatmeal — generous in depth, clean at the edges, finished with a bead trim at the seat rail join. Every surface that could carry a carved detail does — and every carved detail is in exactly the right place. Made with the finest skill available in India, this chair represents Jodhpur's position as the country's premier producer of solid French furniture. Sold individually or as a dining set, with no minimum order requirement.