17th Century French Decorative and Applied Art

The First Reserved Apartment of the Winter Palace was designed by Alexander Brullov in the style of the French Renaissance after the fire of 1837. The room contains decorative and applied art made in the “grand style” which arose during the reign of Louis XIV (1638-1715). The Gobelin tapestry September. Chambord. The King's Suite served as part of a series entitled The Months, or The Royal Households which was designed from cartoons created by Charles Le Brun (1619-1690). Le Brun was also the author of the sketches used for the cartoons for the tapestry series The Child Gardeners. The tapestry Spring is surrounded by a rich border with the royal coat of arms at the top, the emblem of Louis XIV at the bottom (a sun sitting above a globe), and on either side a cartouche with the royal monogram beneath a crown. The monumental cabinet located on the stand belongs to the “architectural” variety of large ebony cabinets. The stand is supported by six carved male and female figures, while within the niches are sculptures representing Faith, Hope, and Love. The carvings on the doors and drawers tell the story of the Biblical figure Joseph. Behind the doors is a niche in the form of a portal in perspective with hidden drawers. Another masterpiece made during the Sun King’s reign is a cupboard with flower-filled vases on its doors attributed to André-Charles Boulle (1642-1732). The furniture on display in this room, made using Boulle’s techniques, can be distinguished by its ebony veneer, bronze and tortoise shell inlay, and gilded bronze overlay. The magnificent headboard on the state bed was sewn using satin stitching and patterned gilt embroidery with a relief.