Details
The shaped padded back arms and seat upholstered in crimson silk, the bowed seat rail carved with laurel on five ring-turned fluted tapering front legs headed by pinched collars and stiff-leaves and four saber back legs headed by scrolls, on castors, the central front leg later, with the original gilding, the painted decoration later and retaining original scheme underneath, the legs reduced in height, the back and armrests reshaped
3212 in. (82.5 cm.) high; 81 in. (205.75 cm.) wide; 31 in. (78.75 cm.) deep
Provenance
Supplied to Edwin Lascelles, 1st Baron Harewood, almost certainly for Lady Harewood's Dressing Room at Harewood House, Yorkshire, thence by descent.
Literature
Harewood House 1795 Inventory, p. 20.
Harewood House 1948 Probate Valuation, recorded in the Red Bedroom, p. 63.
FURTHER DETAILS
* Please note that this lot is available to view at Christie's warehouse, Park Royal. Please contact Anna Schiff (aschiff@christies.com) for assistance.
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Lot Essay

This sofa, en suite with lots 12 and 14 – a set of four armchairs and a pair of conversation stools - was supplied by Thomas Chippendale between circa 1770 and 1772 to Edwin Lascelles, 1st Baron Harewood (1712-95) for Harewood House. Originally painted blue and parcel-gilt, it almost certainly form part of the suite recorded in Lady Harewood’s Dressing in an inventory carried out on the death of Edwin in 1795.

Please see footnote to lot 12 for further discussion of the suite and Thomas Chippendale’s commission at Harewood House.

DECORATION
Paint analysis across this suite (lots 12-14), including the present sofa, revealed it was originally decorated in blue and parcel-gilt. A ground of white gesso was applied to the timber, followed by water gilding on some mouldings, using a reddish brown clay. The blue paint, mixed from lead white and Prussian blue, was applied last. The sofa has only been re-decorated once. Green paint was used on to cover over the original blue. The paint contained lead white so this work was done before the middle of the twentieth century. The original gold was largely left untouched though some repairs were carried out. In many areas what we see today is the original water gilding.

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