A fine gilt-bronze-mounted mahogany tapestry frame attributed to Maigret Empire, early 19th century

the frame with columnar top and bottom rails with baluster and block side-rails mounted with a lozenge with a mask and laurel leaves, on a pair of turned columnar supports headed by a berried laurel roundel containing a beehive, the lower section with a block mounted with winged torches and a laurel wreath, joined by a padded stretcher, on bracket feet mounted with bees; now mounted with a glass top





 



 

COMPARATIVE LITERATURE
Jean-Pierre Samoyault, Meubles entrés sous le Premier Empire, Musée National du Château Fontainebleau, Catalogue des Collections de Mobilier 3, Paris, 2004, no. 272, p. 64 and p. 339.  
Sylvie Chadenet, Les Styles Empire & Restauration, Paris, p. 82.

There is a very similar tapestry frame with the same beehive motif in a roundel at the top of the supports in the Château of Fontainebleau, illustrated by Samoyault, op. cit., p. 64 and 339, (inv. F 210C).  It was delivered in 1810 by Maigret to Fontainebleau and was placed in 1810 in le salon d'étude des petits appartements of Empress Marie-Louise. It is unknown as to whom Maigret gave the commission for the bronzes.   

In 1810, Maigret delivered other beautiful mahogany tapestry frames for Marie-Louise to the Tuileries, Compiègne and the Trianon. The bees are a decorative motif usually associated with Napoleon and due to the similarity of this piece with other Imperial examples, it is more than likely that this tapestry frame was commissioned by the Imperial family.

Finally, Chadenet, op. cit, p. 82, llustrates a tapestry frame of identical form with identical mounts in the Musée de Malmaison, reproduced here.
 

Alexandre Maigret:
Maigret was a cabinet-maker and upholsterer based at 20, rue Vivienne, Paris. He enjoyed great success during the Empire period, although he is recorded working as early as 1775-1780.  He was appointed fournisseur to the Garde-Meuble Impérial in 1805 and worked for many of the Royal residences including: Fontainebleau, the Trianon, Saint-Cloud and the Tuileries. His style was very much in the manner of his famous contemporaries Jacob-Desmalter and Marcion and he is known to have worked in collaboration with the bronziers Feuchère and Fossey.  He was the main supplier of tapestry frames to Empress Marie-Louise.