Beschreibung:

AN EMPIRE CREAM AND GREY-PAINTED TABOURET CIRCA 1810, BRANDED WITH THE CHÂTEAU DE MEUDON MARQUE AU FEU With rectangular padded seat above a conforming panelled seat rail carved with a patera issuing bellflowers on scroll carved sabre legs headed by stars, the seat rails with inventory number M255, upholstered in canary cut velvet -- 17in. (43cm.) high, 20in. (51cm.) wide, 14½in. (49.5cm.)deep cf. A virtually identical tabouret with inventory ink number M256 sold in these Rooms 26 April 1990, lot 97. It is likely that the offered lot is a pair to, or part of the same set, bearing as it does a consecutive inventory number. The Château de Meudon was purchased by Louis XIV in 1695 for his son, the Grand Dauphin, in exchange for the Château to Choisy and 400,00 livres. This enabled the Grand Dauphin to reside closer to his father at Versailles. Shortly afterwards, the architect Mansart was placed in charge of an extensive upgrade of the châteu. After the revolution in 1793, it was confiscated by the Convention and given to the chimiste Berthollet and the général d'artillerie Choderios de Lachos in order to experiment with new amunition. In 1795, an artillery explosion caused a fire which devastated the old part of the château. Napolean gave orders for it to be demolished in 1803 as the cost of restoration was too high. The new part; however, was kept and furnished for the King of Rome, who resided there with Marie-Louise during the Russian campaign.