Bidspirit auction | A Pair Empire Style Chaise

A Pair Empire Style Chaise Lehaene Chairs - A Pair Empire Style Chaise Lehaene Chairs This brand new pair of Empire Style Chaise Lehaene chairs is a masterful expression of early 19th-century French Neoclassicism, embodying the bold, architectural sobriety that defined the reign of Napoleon I and produced by the prestigious French institution Ateliers Allot. Specifically designed as a Chaise à l'Officier (Officer's Chair), this model prioritizes ergonomic support through its distinctive incurved en gondole backrest, originally conceived for military campaigns and administrative offices. Handcrafted from solid beechwood, the frame features a ”klismos” profile inspired by Greek and Roman antiquity, with a top rail terminating in subtle rolled scrolls and a base transitioned by two magnificent hand-carved dolphin consoles—a hallmark Empire motif symbolizing power and naval triumph. This stately form is supported by four sweeping saber legs (en sabre) and is expertly upholstered in Pigment by Lelièvre, a luxury deep olive-green matte textile that enhances the chair's masculine, imperial aesthetic. Measuring 35 inches (88 cm) in height, 22 inches (57 cm) in width, and 19 inches (48 cm) in depth, this pair represents the pinnacle of French decorative arts from an ”Entreprise du Patrimoine Vivant” (EPV) that has integrated eight foundational trades across eight generations of family expertise since 1812. Ateliers Allot is a prestigious French family institution established in 1812 and headquartered on Rue de Vaugirard with showrooms in Paris, renowned for its mastery of traditional cabinetmaking and the rare ”Entreprise du Patrimoine Vivant” (EPV) label. Spanning eight generations of expertise, the firm seamlessly integrates the eight foundational trades of fine furniture—including cabinetmaking, woodcarving, marquetry, and gilding—to produce and restore exquisite hand made pieces ranging from the Louis XIV era to contemporary bespoke designs entirely in-house, they offer an unparalleled level of historical authenticity, serving as a global benchmark for French decorative arts and ”art de vivre” [LOC 783]