Armchair

At the beginning of the eighteenth century in Lombardy the
transition from Spanish to Austrian domination led to an evolution of taste -
Baroque eccentricity gave way to the precious elegance of Rococo. The changed needs of the aristocracy meant
new types of furniture for their dwellings, which were renovated by the
nobility (including the Durini family) to make a good impression on their new
Austrian rulers. Shapes were generally less rigid and severe. Armchairs, for example, became wider and
more comfortable, to make space for the increasingly bulky skirts of the
ladies. This is one of a series of six armchairs that were in the gallery of
mirrors of Palazzo Durini. The
frame, curved and decorated with rocaille carvings, is finished with ivory-coloured
lacquer, while a thin golden border emphasises its lines. The seat, armrests and back are padded and
covered with a tapestry fabric made in Beauvais, illustrating episodes taken
from the fables of La Fontaine, a poet who re-elaborated the classical Greek
fables of Aesop.