Designed to be lightweight and transportable, a banquette is a small backless bench, often upholstered with fine fabrics, such as silk or velvet. This hand-carved and hand-painted French banquette from the 1800s is in the Neoclassical style, with motifs based on classical civilizations seen on the frame and the silk upholstery. Most of the wooden frame has been painted gray, but certain motifs are gold, allowing them to really stand out.

The seat has been covered by silver silk adorned with a golden latticework comprised of S-shaped leaves over elongated arrows that terminate as a rosette at the points of convergence. In between the matrix are numerous Neoclassical images of peacocks, swans, lyres, and cherubs, also in gold. Graceful S-curve arms with a husk motif rise high above the seat, terminating in volutes with rosette centers. The rosettes are joined by a baluster stretcher with leaf cups near the center. A pair of winged chimera flanking a lobed urn can be seen on the top rail, above a connector carved in the shape of a pierced lyre set within a circle inscribed inside of a rectangle. The husked apron is interrupted by four rosette joineries above gently curving block feet, allowing our painted Neoclassical banquette to be used functionally in a boudoir, hallway, or bedroom.

CONDITION: Good antique condition. Minor losses to paint, with some slight age separations to the wooden frame. Light nicks and rubs. There is a small blue paint stain on one leg.