Sofa (ottomane veilleuse)
Medium
Carved and gilded beechwood, upholstered in modern red velours de Gênes
Dimensions
40 1/2 in. × 78 in. × 31 in. (102.9 × 198.1 × 78.7 cm)
Classification
Woodwork-Furniture
Culture
French
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Jack and Belle Linsky Collection, 1982
Accession Number
1982.60.72
Art Historical Context
This elegant sofa, known as an *ottomane veilleuse*, crafted around 1750–60 by the renowned Tilliard family—Jean I and his son Jean-Baptiste II—who were master French cabinetmakers during the lavish Rococo era of Louis XV. Exemplifying the period's love for comfort and opulence, this low daybed features a curving backrest and open sides, designed for intimate lounging in fashionable salons. Its form reflects the Rococo style's playful asymmetry and scrolling motifs, evoking the natural S-curves of shells and foliage. Fashioned from carved and gilded beechwood, the sofa showcases virtuoso wood...