Ensemble of six Louis XV armchairs à la Reine

 An ensemble of six very large armchairs with straight backs, also known as à la Reine. The chairs are symmetrically built, but the ornamentation reflects a pure Louis XV style characterized by a graceful elegance that is never bombastic but forms a powerful and flowing whole. The powerful and deep sculptural work clearly indicates that these armchairs were made by a highly artistic and skilled cabinetmaker. The combination of the ornamentation used together with the quality of the carving suggests that these armchairs can be attributed to the Parisian cabinetmaker Jean Gourdin (ca. 1690-1764).
 
 Jean Gourdin, better known as Gourdin père, was a prominent cabinetmaker who was active in Paris between 1737 and 1763. Located on the rue de Clery, he produced high-quality seating furniture with luxurious lines and abundant, very fine sculpted decoration. This unmistakable class is also evident in the work of his two sons, Jean-Baptiste and Michel. According to tradition, he chose to include the mention "Père" in his stamp, to distinguish his own superior production from that of his sons. However, it is much more likely that this mention was only added to distinguish the three family marks when his son Jean Baptiste became a master in 1748. Gourdin worked until 1763 and died a year later.
 
 The name "Fauteuil à la Reine" appeared in the first half of the 18th century. This type of armchair became fashionable due to Queen Marie Leczinska (1703 – 1768), wife of Louis XV. The fauteuil à la Reine is a seating furniture in Louis XV and Louis XVI style characterized by its flat backrest, making it ideal for placement against a wall. This model differs from the convertible armchair, which has a concave back and a lighter structure, allowing it to be placed and moved around the room as desired. Due to their large dimensions, the fauteuils à la Reine were not meant to be moved but had a fixed place in the room.
 The fauteuil à la Reine was designed to fit the female contours, allowing ladies to sit more comfortably with their ample dresses: more open armrests, curved armrest cuffs, widened seat, padded cheeks, and backrest for added comfort.

Albrecht Neuhaus, Würzburg, where purchased by; Private collection, Germany, 1977