Important Pair of Sculpted Walnut Stools, Louis XIV Style

Pair of carved walnut stools, Louis XIV style. Paris, Faubourg Saint-Antoine, in the style of Fourdinois, circa 1870–1890. This significant pair of carved walnut stools is a remarkable testament to the revival of the Louis XIV style that flourished in the grand Parisian workshops of Faubourg Saint-Antoine during the second half of the 19th century. Direct heirs to the cabinetmaking traditions of the Grand Siècle, these workshops were able to reinterpret with exceptional fidelity and mastery the most emblematic models of the 17th century, responding to the enthusiasm of enthusiasts and collectors for furniture inspired by classical French design. Each stool rests on four powerfully architectured legs, with an inverted console profile, richly adorned with deeply carved acanthus leaves and symmetrically executed volutes of great precision. The rigour of the composition, the sharpness of the edges, and the quality of the modelling testify to the hand of a highly skilled workshop, fully mastering the ornamental vocabulary inherited from the reign of Louis XIV. The X-shaped stretcher, a characteristic element of 17th-century ceremonial seating, is distinguished here by the breadth of its design and the balance of its curves. It is centred with a turned finial in the shape of a fluted top, an emblematic motif borrowed from the most prestigious models of the Grand Siècle. This structure imparts remarkable monumentality and visual stability to the whole, while highlighting its decorative purpose. The walnut, carefully selected for the fineness of its grain and the richness of its hues, features a particularly deep and luminous antique patina, revealing the exceptional quality of the carving. The harmony of proportions and stylistic coherence align these stools with the productions of the grand Parisian workshops active during the Second Empire and the Third Republic, particularly in the style of Fourdinois.