America

Art Historical Context

Step into the opulent world of late 18th-century France with *America*, a magnificent settee that blends masterful tapestry weaving with ornate furniture design. Designed around 1786 by artists including Jean-Jacques François Le Barbier and commissioned by Louis XVI, this piece was woven at the renowned Beauvais manufactory between 1790 and 1791. Its carved and gilded wood frame, added in the second half of the 19th century, supports a vibrant wool-and-silk tapestry upholstery measuring an impressive 42¼ × 75⅜ × 28 inches. Now housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's European Sculpture and Decorative Arts department, it exemplifies the Beauvais factory's prestige in producing high-end decorative textiles for royal and elite patrons. The tapestry bursts with life, depicting men alongside a menagerie of animals—parrots, bulls, sheep, roosters, dogs, horses, monkeys, and oxen—in a lively pastoral scene evoking the exotic wonders of the New World. This allegorical representation of the American continent reflects the Enlightenment-era fascination with global exploration and neoclassical ideals of harmony between humanity and nature. Beauvais tapestries, known for their fine low-warp technique, allowed intricate details and rich colors to shine, making them status symbols in grand salons. As a rare survivor from the eve of the French Revolution, *America* captures the fleeting extravagance of the Ancien Régime, inviting us to ponder how art bridged continents and cultures in an age of discovery. A gift to the Met in 1978, it remains a testament to French craftsmanship's enduring allure.

About the Artist

de Menou|Beauvais|Jean Jacques François Le Barbier|Louis XVI, King of France ( |French|French) · |1739 |1780 – |1821 |1793

|French, Paris 1739–1821 Paris|French, active 1780–93