NICOLAS SIMON COURTOIS (né en 1724, maître en 1766)

PAIR OF FRAMED ARMCHAIRS with original "aux Chinois" upholstery Paris, after 1766 (18th century) Painted beech, wool and linen tapestry Maintenance restoration H. 98 cm, W. 67 cm, D. 62 cm Stamped N S Courtois Provenance Formerly inherited collection, France Private collection, Paris, since 2005 This pair of armchairs with frame, which was part of a larger set, has retained its original upholstery with stitched chinoiserie decoration. It is stamped by Nicolas Simon Courtois, a master carpenter who was received on November 19, 1766 and practiced in the Faubourg Saint-Antoine in Paris. Our beechwood chairs painted petit gris have a flat Queen's back and console legs, characterized by their triple whip arm console which is one with the front leg. The curved, deeply moulded structure elegantly frames the upholstery motifs woven in shades of reddish brown on a beige background. On the backs, Chinese torch or bell holders inhabit flowering branches populated by birds and insects. The same decoration of animals is repeated on the seats; a hare attracted by a bird in a landscape with a factory. Floral motifs complete the whole on the armrests. Additional information given by the collector is accessible by QR Code in the PDF.