19's voltaire rack and pinion armchair

Voltaire armchair, louis philippe period, with rack and pinion, green velvet. A voltaire is a large, comfortable armchair (well padded) with a high, inclined back. The armrests are wide and padded, making it easier to rest. At the end of the 19th century, it was mainly used by the sick and the elderly. The origin of the name is unknown: it probably comes from a representation of voltaire, dating from the 1820s, in which the writer-philosopher appears languid in a high medallion armchair with a back in exposed natural wood. The "voltaire" armchair is characteristic of the "louis-philippe style", to the point that armchairs of this shape remained imbued with the fashion of this period throughout the 19th century.