A Louis XVI blue and gray-painted bergère en gondole circa 1785

Weiler, Paris / Rosenberg & Stiebel, New York, 1957

F. J. B. Watson, The Wrightsman Collection, Vol. I, Greenwich, 1966, p. 41, no. 29

With age and construction cracks. Signs of old worm damage, not extensive. Minor chips, dents and losses to carving. Repainted, paint is now with rubbing and surface dirt. In sound overall condition.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

To the eye of a late eighteenth century viewer, this Neoclassical bergère en gondole, with its anthemions, floral garlands, pomegranate finials, Vitruvian scrolls formed with acanthus leaves and hoof feet, was as close to authentic ancient Roman or Greek furniture as possible. The chaise en gondole was a type of rounded or tub-backed chair that came into use towards the end of the Louis XVI period and, because of its strong Greco-Roman character, enjoyed particular favor during the first decade of the nineteenth century. As a 1793 inventory of the Château de Versailles suggests, such chairs must have been very fashionable towards the end of the Ancien Régime and were used at the royal residences:  "un petite fauteuil de bureau en gondole." As the circular seat and the back of the chair are caned, it is likely that this piece was intended to be used for the toilet, as the cane was less likely to be harmed by the large quantities of powder used to dress the hair than textile upholstery. A very similar chair was engraved by Aubert Parent in the Ier Cahier de Meubles de Differentes formes à l'usage des Appartements dans le goût le plus nouveau, Composés et Dessinés par Aubert en 1788, pl. 4, where it is described as an "Espèce de Gondole ou Fauteuil de Bureau d'après un Meuble Antique."