Item 9361 4 Renaissance Dining Chairs Dimensions Width 18½, Height 37½, Depth 17 (in inches) Wood Walnut Date France Country Circa 1890 Price $2,395 Description These four Henri II style chairs date from the late 19th century when intricately detailed carving and affection for Gothic and Renaissance motifs, inspired by ancient architecture, were at their height in France.  The base is an H-shaped  curved stretcher uniting the four legs, distinctive for their three elaborate variations on the boule aplatie or flattened bun shape.  This shape is also repeated in the vertical posts forming the sides of the back of each chair.  Architectural origins are seen in the so-called broken pediment atop the back of each chair as well as the fluted columns of the side posts.  The central decoration of the back, S-shaped scrolls framing an intricately carved half-moon shape, add the graceful elegance of curves to what is otherwise a rectilinear design.  The interlocking design or entrelacs at the base of the posts and the seat also has its roots in the Renaissance, in this case the decoration of Italian ceramics from Faenza (and also seen in the Italian-inspired ceramics of Gien in France).  The chairs have been reinforced for stability and the cushions and springs have been replaced.  They have been refinished and reupholstered in a striking period design with red, navy, and green stripes in order to enhance the overall look without distracting from the intricacy of the carving and design.  It is not clear why, but the walnut backs of the chairs are not all of precisely the same hue, particularly the central, scrolled sections.  We have attempted to show this in the photos, but we do not view it as a detriment to the beauty and function of the set. Reference Boussel, Patrice, Les Styles du Moyen Age à Louis XIV  (Baschet et Cie, Paris, 1979); Quette, Anne-Marie, Le Mobilier Français Louis XIII et Louis XIV (Editions Massin, Paris, 1996); Rousseau, Francis, Le Grand Livre des Meubles (Copyright Studio, Paris, 1999) Uses These chairs would work well as dining chairs in a formal dining room or as side chairs in a library or study.