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.