A set of seven Louis XV giltwood fauteuils à la reine and a canapé upholstered in Beauvais tapestry circa 1750 attributed to Pierre Nogaret

each with a cartouche-shaped molded backrest carved with bow-knotted ribbons, padded armrests on molded voluted supports, the serpentine-fronted seat raised on molded cabriole legs; upholstered in Gobelins tapestry woven with a variety of birds on the backrests and with scenes from the Fables of La Fontaine on the seat, woven in multicolors on a blue ground imitating damask.  7 pieces.

Château de Bisseret, Allier (Auvergne)

Anonymous sale, Sotheby's, Monaco, June 25, 1983, lot 92

AN IMPORTANT SUITE OF LOUIS XV SEAT FURNITURE WITH BEAUVAIS TAPESTRY COVERS SUPPLIED BY NOGARET FOR THE CHATEAU DE BISSERET

This suite of seat furniture was supplied by Nogaret for the grand salon of the château de Bisseret in Allier.  The design of the room had been conceived in concert with the tapestry covers of these chairs with an Aubusson carpet which also had a blue ground, and with Felletin tapestries woven with blue grounds.

The suite was almost certainly given to Claude de Bisseret on the occasion of his marriage to Mademoiselle de Saint-Aubin in 1754, by the uncles of the bride, Jacques de Saint-Aubin de Saligny and his brother Gabriel, both of whom were chanoines-comtes of Lyon. Gabriel was also Cardinal de Tencin and Archbishop of Lyon.

Tapestry covers of similar design and date, after Jean-Baptiste Oudry, incorporating La Fontaine's Fables are described, Edith A. Standen, European Post-Medieval Tapestries in the Metropolitan Museum, New York, 1985, Vol. II, pp. 484-506.

Pierre Nogaret

Nogaret, who worked in Lyon, was the most celebrated chair maker working outside Paris of his generation.  He had served his apprenticeship in Paris, moving to Lyon circa 1743.  He was received maître menuisier in 1745 and established his workshop in the rue Saint-Romain.  His work has a distinctive outline with sinuous molded frames, crisp carving and his idiosyncratic 'whiplash' armrest supports.