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EnglishWhat do Napoleon, Metzler and a sofa have in common?
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As clients and employees well know, the blue Metzler sofa, which can be found at our headquarters where guests are received, has always held special meaning for the bank. Although it’s not quite as old as the bank itself, it is old enough that Napoleon could have sat there. So let's take a closer look.
France, 1804
The sofa is a piece in typical Empire style. Commissioned by the Metzler family, it was made in Paris in 1804, the same year that Napoleon Bonaparte was crowned French Emperor in Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris.
The Empire style emerged around this time and it’s no coincidence that it bears this name. The word “empire” is derived from French and the style was popular until the 1830s/40s.
The basic form of Empire furniture is characterized by straight lines and decorated with ancient motifs. Lions, eagles, winged bulls, swans, sphinxes and horses were chosen for decoration and precious mahogany was often the wood used.
USA, 20th century
The Metzler sofa forms a set with the so-called swan bed, both ends of which are adorned with swans. While the sofa has always remained in Frankfurt, the swan bed was taken to the USA in the 20th century. For many years, the bed was in the home of Moritz and Maria von Metzler, who lived with their family in Wiesenhuettenstrasse. When their granddaughter Alexandra married into the Rockefeller family, she took the swan bed with her to the USA and later ensured that it returned to Frankfurt. Today it can be seen in the Historic Villa Metzler in the Museum Angewandte Kunst in Frankfurt.
Frankfurt, 2024
The blue Metzler sofa is not in a museum. It has seen many guests come and go and is still in use.
Of course, we can’t be exactly sure who has taken a seat on the blue sofa over the past 220 years. Perhaps James Wolfensohn did when he visited Friedrich von Metzler in 1995. One thing is certain, however: Wolfensohn received a call from then US President Bill Clinton while he was visiting the bank and learned of his appointment as President of the World Bank.
In 2024, the blue Metzler sofa is playing a particularly important role. Find out more by visiting the anniversary page.
