Louis XIII-Style Painted Fauteuil with Turned Stretchers in Duck-Egg Blue Linen

About this object

A high-backed fauteuil in the Louis XIII manner — the sober, architectural French style that preceded the curves of the rococo. This style emerged in early 17th-century France, characterized by bold turned elements, rectilinear construction and restrained ornament. The form reflects a period when turners' guilds held equal standing with carvers, and chairs were built to project authority through proportion andcraft rather than gilding. The frame is built on baluster-turned legs joined by a double tier of box-turned stretchers, with scrolled arms resting on turned supports and a gently arched crest rail. Finished in soft ivory paint with light intentional rubbing at edges, the wood shows the rhythmic profiles of lathe work — rings, vases and blocks shaped in sequences that demand precision. Fresh duck-egg blue linen is pulled drum-tight across the tall back and seat, secured with a continuous line of antiqued brass nailheads spaced to the millimetre. The arms terminate in soft scrolls, worn smooth where hands naturally rest. A chair of this height and presence works as a solo statement piece. Place it beside a fireplace, at the head of a writing desk, or in a bedroom corner with a floor lamp — it carries formality without weight. The ivory-and-blue palette suits both classical interiors and pared-back contemporary rooms. Ideal for collectors seeking authenticated French design vocabulary or those furnishing drawing rooms, studies and principal bedrooms with pieces that anchor a space.