French Reclining Wingback Chair

45"x26"x35"

This 18th-century reclining wingback chair draws inspiration from Louis XIII, who was the King of France from 1610 to 1643. The furniture of the Louis XIII period is typically geometric and austere in appearance, very large, and solidly built. Delicately curving armrests, such as those on this particular chair, were common. At the time, the economic situation called for rigour and restraint, which was reflected in the period’s simple style and materials. Typical of the Louis XIII style, the chair's frame is square-shaped and made from thick walnut wood. The seat back is characteristically rectangular. The wood and hardware are original. The wings stretch from the top of the chair down to the armrests; the former are meant to shield the sitter from drafts and trap heat from a fireplace in the area the person is sitting. This seat is newly upholstered in a beautiful rosy beige linen. This chair is in excellent condition, and is sure to be an eye-catching addition to any home.

At this time in France, the Dauphin Louis-Auguste of France (1754–1793) married Archduchess Maria Antonia of Austria (1755–1793) at the Chapel of Versailles on May 16, 1770. The couple, who would become the future King Louis XVI and Queen Marie Antionette in 1774, were the last rulers before the fall of the monarchy during the French Revolution. Both rulers would be executed by guillotine in 1793, ending more than one thousand years of French sovereignty.