Armchair (Bergère) (detail), about 1770/1772 or early 1780s, Georges Jacob, walnut, painted and varnished, and beech; silk, linen, hemp, and horsehair upholstery with swan- and goose-down feather stuffing; silk trim; iron tacks and gilt-brass nails. The J. Paul Getty Museum Armchair (Bergère) (detail), about 1770/1772 or early 1780s, Georges Jacob, walnut, painted and varnished, and beech; silk, linen, hemp, and horsehair upholstery with swan- and goose-down feather stuffing; silk trim; iron tacks and gilt-brass nails. The J. Paul Getty Museum

This extraordinary eighteenth-century French armchair embodies the era’s refined sense of comfort and style. Made in Paris for an elite patron, its sumptuous appearance is striking, from its deep, brocaded-silk cushion stuffed with swan- and goose-down feathers to the squares of gold leaf on its brass nails. Multiple craftsmen, including a joiner (woodworker) and an upholsterer, contributed to each facet of this luxurious chair. Despite its fragility, the chair has survived nearly unaltered over the centuries.

A Closer Look

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