Louis XV Rococo Painted Tub Bergère - Polychrome Garland & Gilded Rocaille Crest

Design & Inspiration

Turn this chair to face the room and every angle tells a different story. From the front, a disciplined Louis XV tub bergère in dusty steel-blue jacquard, its gilded rocaille crest pierced and scrolling above an arc of carved moulding. Turn it around and the exterior becomes a small painted canvas: honey-cream wood carrying faint brushed grain, overlaid with hand-carved polychrome garlands — green-leafed stems, salmon roses, ribbon bows — that descend from the crest rail to the knee, and a central oval medallion in muted blue bearing two relief figures beneath a gilt ribbon bow. This is a chair designed to be admired from every position in the room, a quality that distinguishes the finest 1740s French salon furniture from mere seating.

Materials & Craftsmanship

The frame is handcrafted from Romanian solid redwood (kiln-dried to below 10% humidity) providing the dimensional stability essential for fine carved and painted work. The exterior shell is finished in a warm ivory-cream paint with a soft painted grain effect, forming the ground for the polychrome relief carving: the garland stems, leaves and rose clusters are carved directly into the wood, then painted in naturalistic greens, salmons and pinks, with gilt accents at the knee bosses and along the edge mouldings. The crest is a pierced gilded rocaille cartouche — asymmetric as the Rococo demanded — with acanthus and C-scroll forms. Inside, the barrel back, enclosed sides and loose seat cushion are upholstered in a tone-on-tone scroll jacquard in dusty steel-blue, piped at every seam for crisp definition. The four cabriole legs taper to scroll feet painted cream with green edge lines and gilt-pink knee caps, faithful to the mid-18th-century French provincial painted bergère tradition.

Dimensions & Details

Width: 85 cm / Depth: 80 cm / Height: 107 cm. The enclosed barrel form — inside back, inside side panels and seat cushion all upholstered — identifies this as a bergère rather than an open-arm fauteuil. No cane, no nailhead trim, no metal mounts. Loose seat cushion is removable. This piece is sold as a single armchair.

Handcrafted in Egypt

Every element of this bergère is produced by hand in Egypt by craftsmen trained in European classical furniture reproduction. The polychrome painting and gilding are applied by brush, the garland carving is executed with hand chisels, and the upholstery is hand-sewn with piped seams. Brass & Wood oversees each stage from timber selection to final finishing, ensuring that the chair leaving the workshop honours the intention of the original 18th-century ateliers that created this form.

Frequently Asked Questions

What materials is this chair made from?

The frame is Romanian solid redwood, painted in ivory-cream with polychrome carved garland reliefs and gilded rocaille details. The upholstery is a tone-on-tone scroll jacquard in dusty steel-blue with piped seams. There are no metal mounts, brass fittings or cane panels on this piece.

Is assembly required?

Only minimal assembly is required — typically attaching the legs to the seat frame. No specialist tools or skills are needed, and instructions are provided.

Can this chair be customized?

Yes. Brass & Wood offers customization of fabric colour and pattern, and finish tone. Please contact our team before ordering to discuss available options and lead times.