Armchair (fauteuil) c. 1785

Crafted by Jean-Baptiste-Claude Sené, this armchair features opulent floral motifs woven into its fabric, set against a bright yellow backdrop and framed in gilded wood. The floral pattern is not merely decorative; it speaks to an enduring fascination with nature as a symbol of life, abundance, and renewal, reaching back to ancient Greek and Roman art. Consider, for instance, the recurring motif of the acanthus leaf in classical architecture, often employed in friezes. Similarly, floral patterns were integrated into the grand tapestries of the Middle Ages. Here, the flowers invoke themes of the idyllic and pastoral, reflecting a longing for simplicity, even amidst aristocratic opulence. The chair seems to whisper to us of cultural memory and continuity, with nature's symbols ever-reappearing in new forms, echoing through time.