Daybed (lit de repos)

The Frères Jacob achieved first success as artisans during the Consulate period in Paris, ultimately achieving fame for their commissions for Napoleon Bonaparte. In 1796, the brothers inherited the family business from their father, Georges Jacob, a prolific chair maker under Louis XVI. The abolishing of the guild system during the French Revolution had transformed luxury production in Paris, allowing artisans such as the Frère Jacob to practice a wider range of woodworking skills and to establish larger workshops. The older brother, Georges II Jacob (1768–1803), was in charge of the business side, while François-Honoré-Georges Jacob (1770–1841) executed the furniture. This daybed features an elongated seat with a curved and pierced back, with a pair of gilt- bronze sphinx mounts as arm rests. As a type of furniture, the daybed was initially used as a resting place for convalescing men, adopted later in the eighteenth century by women seeking to receive visitors in their homes in a state of repose. The top rail’s gilt-bronze mount of Psyche, Cupid’s consort from Greek mythology, indicates that this daybed was likely intended for a female patron.

References:
Jean-Pierre Samoyault. Mobilier français Consulat et Empire. Paris: Gourcuff Gradenigo, 2009.