19C Louis XV Style French Country Poudreuse

Published by Nevan O Shaughnessy on April 6, 2022April 6, 2022

PRESENTING AN ABSOLUTELY STUNNING 19C Louis XV Style French Country Poudreuse.

Made in France (probably South of France) circa 1860-80 in the Louis XV Style.

It is made of the MOST WONDERFUL burl walnut with GORGEOUS natural patina !

It sits on 4 cabriolet legs with a curved base with curved kneehole.

It has 5 drawer fronts each with it’s original Louis XV style ormolu handles/pulls. The top 3 drawers are faux drawers and the bottom 2 are small useable drawers.

The top of the poudreuse has a curved or serpentine edge and the central section lifts upwards on hinges with side levers, to reveal the original beveled mirror and hand painted and hand stenciled interior of a Shepherd Girl in a country/rural setting.

The 2 side sections lift sideways on hinges, again to reveal the original hand painted and hand stenciled interior storage sections with floral patterns.

It even has it’s original working key and central lock.

In very good original condition. Some cracks on the top of the central lid from age but in our opinion these only add to the beauty and authenticity of the piece. Some minor loss of gilt stencil on interior of central section but not significant.

THIS IS THE NICEST POUDREUSE WE HAVE SEEN !

“When studying French art and furniture history, we often focus on the elaborate styles that developed for members of the monarchy and royal court, like the Rococo. However, furniture designs were different for those living in the countryside, and these pieces remain rather little-known.

French provincial furniture is the term generally used to describe the furniture produced in French smaller cities and the countryside, mostly during the 18th century. It often applies to the pieces from provinces like Provence, Normandy, Bordeaux, and other French regions.

During the 18th century, the Parisian monarchy and court commissioned hundreds of luxurious and elaborate pieces and imposed the Rococo style, also known as Louis XV, and later the Neoclassical style, also known as Louis XVI. Today, those are the styles commonly associated with French furniture history.

Away from the court, French provincial furniture began as a series of simpler and more affordable adaptations of the luxurious pieces made for the monarchy. Provincial furniture was meant for the wealthy families of the provinces, who despite having some richness could actually not afford the luxurious and very expensive Parisian pieces.

Unfortunately, since provincial furniture was rarely given as much historical importance as the leading styles, it is hard to find preserved pieces from that time.

In the last decades, however, there has been a growing interest in this style. There are many recent pieces produced as country furniture that share some common characteristics, although they should not be confused with the actual historical pieces…….”

Link: https://study.com/academy/lesson/french-provincial-furniture-history-style.html