Armchair back
Medium
Wool and silk
Dimensions
H. 29 x W. 24 in. (approx.) (73.7 x 61 cm)
Classification
Textiles-Tapestries
Culture
French, Beauvais
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of John D. Rockefeller Jr., 1935
Accession Number
35.145.27a
Rights
Public Domain
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite *Armchair Back*, woven between 1754 and 1756, exemplifies the opulent world of French Rococo decorative arts. Designed by the renowned painter and tapestry master Jean-Baptiste Oudry in collaboration with the Beauvaisactory and weaver André Charlemagne Char, it features a vibrant tapestry of wool and silk. Measuring about 29 by 24 inches, this panel was crafted to adorn the back of a high-status armchair, transforming functional furniture into a canvas of luxury. Oudry, a leading figure in 18th-century France, brought his painterly flair to Beauvais tapestries, known for their lively naturalism and intricate details. Here, motifs of birds and flowers burst forth in rich colors, capturing the Rococo era's delight in nature's whimsy and abundance. The medium—wool for durability and silk for sheen—highlights the technical mastery of Beauvais weavers, who rivaled the Gobelins factory in prestige during Louis XV's reign. A gift to the Metropolitan Museum of Art from John D. Rockefeller Jr. in 1935, this piece offers a glimpse into aristocratic interiors, where such tapestries symbolized wealth and refined taste. Visitors can appreciate how it blurred the line between fine art and everyday elegance.
About the Artist
Jean-Baptiste Oudry|Jean-Baptiste Oudry|Beauvais|André Charlemagne Charron · 1686–1755
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