"BOAT" BED WITH EMPIRE ERA CROWN

A mahogany boat bed with molded, mahogany veneer, and gilt bronze mounts dating from the Empire period. The "boat" bed, with its characteristic curve and matching headboards, is a French invention that appeared during the Directory (1795-1799) and was very fashionable during the Empire and Restoration periods. Our bed is complemented by a round mahogany veneer canopy, adorned with gilt bronze finials and masks. It supports beige striped curtains. The mattress and box spring are custom-made, as is the bedspread, in the same fabric as the curtains. The gilt bronze decoration illustrates the theme of sleep, in keeping with the function of the piece: the sleeping mask that adorns the canopy, and especially the representations of Psyche, who, according to Greek mythology, met the young Cupid at night. Psyche is symbolized by the winged masks, crowned with stars, that decorate the two detached bedposts, as well as by the butterflies that pull Cupid's chariot on clouds at the foot of the bed. The legend of Cupid and Psyche was particularly popular during the Neoclassical period. The columns are also adorned with a frieze of water leaves and topped with Corinthian capitals decorated with palmettes, foliage, and scrolls. Exterior dimensions of the bed: H: 117cm, W: 201cm, D: 160cm. Interior dimensions of the bed: W: 185cm, D: 140cm. Diameter of the canopy: 100cm. Empire period, circa 1810. Dimensions: W: 201cm, D: 160cm, H: 117cm. The varnish and veneer are in good overall condition. The bed is in very good structural condition.