Jacob Frère - Hémicycle Cabinet Chair, 1795-1800

Jacob Frère, rue Meslée, 1796-1803, cabinet chair in mahogany veneer and mottled mahogany, inspired by a design by Percier for their father; the framed back is semicircular, pierced with vertical grilles. The flat, curved armrests rest on whiplash-shaped brackets, following the curve of the round seat upholstered in black leather with piping. The whole rests on tapered, ringed front legs and saber-shaped rear legs. The stamp JACOB.FRERES - RUE MESLEE is stamped under the front rail; the inventory number 17 S, stenciled and flanked by two fleurs-de-lis, is under the rear rail. Production of this model extended from 1795 to 1800, from the turbulent period of the Convention to that of the Consulate. Dimensions: Height 85.2cm, seat height 44.5cm – Width 56.8cm at the armrests – Seat diameter 49.9cm. It was during this brief association, from 1796 to 1803, that the Jacob company produced the finest furniture to come out of its workshops, still very close to the Louis XVI style in its lightness and remarkable simplicity. The Jacob Frères stamp on rue Meslée was used by François-Honoré-Georges and Georges II Jacob between 1796 and 1803. They took over their father's business under the name "Jacob Frères." They continued to produce their father Georges' designs and created furniture of exceptional quality that perfectly foreshadowed the new Empire style in their commissions for the First Consul, Napoleon Bonaparte. Upon returning from Italy, the latter commissioned the Jacob brothers to create a curious set of military furniture for his bedroom on Rue Chantereine. The bed resembled a tent, and the seats were drums. Later, the First Consul called upon the same cabinetmakers to refurnish the former royal residences devastated by the Revolution. Having previously produced pieces in a classical style, valued primarily for their character and purity of style, the Jacobs began to create more richly ornamented pieces, sometimes embellished with bronze. They were even awarded a gold medal at the Year IX Exhibition. The death of George II in October 1803 brought this remarkable partnership to an end. This is the rarest stamp of the Jacob dynasty.