Chair #153

19TH CENTURY FRENCH BALLOON BACK CHAIR

—Designer unknown

Picture the Moulin Rouge district of Paris at the turn of the century (that'd be the 1900's people). Great artists like Cézanne, Van Gogh, Gauguin, and Toulouse-Lautrec are some of the well known painters of the Post-Impressionist zeitgeist of that time. Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec suffered from several physical challenges, and therefore immersed himself in his art instead of typical physical activities. Lucky for us and the art world! Throughout his short career of roughly 20 years, he created 737 canvases, 275 watercolors, 363 prints and posters, 5,084 drawings, miscellaneous stained glass and ceramic works, plus who knows how many other pieces of duds or lost works. That's an insane amount of work.

Back to the Moulin Rouge... Henri was commissioned by them to produce a series of promotional posters for the cabaret when it first opened its doors. The Moulin Rouge proudly displayed his posters and paintings, and always reserved a seat for him there. Wouldn't a chair like this be perfect in a Parisian salon? Fishnet stocking and feathers abound. Sit for a spell, and enjoy a glass of Absynthe before the Can-Can show.