Armlehnstuhl von Jean Joseph Chapuis

Examination of materials and construction of the cambered parts of a chair by Jean Joseph Chapuis The armchair by Jean Joseph Chapuis, also known as the “Fauteuil Laeken“, may well be considered the best-known piece of furniture by the Belgian cabinet maker. Both from the design and the technological point of view – the chair is mostly made of laminated and curved parts – there can be no doubt that it is an outstanding piece in furniture and design history. Nevertheless, relatively little is found in the existing literature on Chapuis and his works. Neither the construction nor the technique of bending wood have been documented so far, and there are only occasional indications of the materials used. This paper presents the results, findings and reflections of previous studies on the design, materials and possible manufacturing processes of a Jean Joseph Chapuis’ armchair.