The attribution to Adrien-Pierre Dupain

This pair of armchairs can be attributed to Master carpenter Adrien-Pierre Dupain. It can be compared with an ensemble formerly belonging to Dr. Alexandre Benchouffi stamped Dupain. The armchairs feature the same distinctive base with opposing bracket feet ending in a scroll and resting on goat hooves, combined with a scrolled back decorated with rosettes on its outer surfaces. These different elements can thus be considered characteristic of Dupain's work. They can also be found on a pair of white-painted benches, also stamped Dupain and formerly in the collection of Paul Dutasta, as well as on a third pair of gilt wood armchairs currently in private hands and stamped Dupain.



Armchairs from the Dodge Collection

These armchairs were once part of the legendary collection assembled by Mrs. Anna Thomson Dodge (1871-1970) for Rose Terrace, her Grosse Pointe residence modelled on the Petit Trianon at Versailles.

Of Scottish origin and born into a working-class family, Anna Thompson (1866-1970) had married Horace Elgin Dodge Sr (1868-1920) in 1896, one of the founders of the Dodge Brothers Company, a pioneer of the automobile. After her husband's death in 1920 and the sale of the company, she became one of the richest women in the world.

Fascinated by 18th-century French art, Mrs. Dodge turned to the renowned art dealer Joseph Duveen to build up her collection. Through him, she acquired a number of masterpieces, many of royal provenance, including the famous Carlin’s jewel casket adorned with Sèvres porcelain plates originally belonging to Empress Maria Feodorovna, which was for many years the most expensive piece of French furniture sold at auction.

In 1926, Anna Dodge married Hugh Hillman and decided to build a new home modelled on the Petit Trianon in Grosse Pointe. Rose Terrace, built on the site of her former home, now has housed the extraordinary Dodge collection since then.

Anna Thomson Dodge was one of the leading philanthropists and patrons of the arts in her adopted hometown of Detroit. Many works of art from Rose Terrace form the core of the Detroit Institute of Arts' decorative arts collection. Following her death in 1970, Christie's June 1971 sale of the Dodge collection was also one of the landmark sales of her era.



Adrien-Pierre Dupain (Master in 1772)

Adrien-Pierre Dupain became a Master joiner on December 16, 1772, and set up business at 40, Rue de Charonne in Paris. He delivered several seats for the Crown, especially for Queen Marie-Antoinette at her Château de Saint-Cloud. In her summer residence, the sovereign opted for furniture at the cutting edge of fashion. Hangings were particularly important, always matching the furniture covers. Adrien-Pierre Dupain's clientele included a number of upholsterers to whom he also supplied furniture, foremost among them Presle and Rondet. The Revolution forced Adrien-Pierre Dupain to slow down, or even significantly reorient his production: he began making ammunition boxes for the armies of the Republic. Skilled and meticulous, he was also a good businessman, and did not hesitate to place himself at the service of the new regime, as his workshop was still active at the beginning of the Empire period. Although not a major joiner in the service of the Crown, Adrien-Pierre Dupain was nonetheless a talented craftsman, as evidenced by the presence of his furniture in some of the world's finest collections, such as those of the Musée du Louvre, the Mobilier National and the Château de Versailles.