Side Chair
Decorative Arts and Design
MEDIUM
Beech, pigment, modern upholstery
DATES
ca. 1868
DIMENSIONS
29 x 18 1/4 x 18 1/4 in. (73.7 x 46.4 x 46.4 cm)
(show scale)
MARKINGS
no marks
SIGNATURE
no signature
INSCRIPTIONS
no inscriptions
ACCESSION NUMBER
81.56.2
CREDIT LINE
H. Randolph Lever Fund
CATALOGUE DESCRIPTION
Side chair, polychromed American beach. The chair has a circular seat and a circular medallion back. Four legs terminate in painted feet, which comprise a blue sphere-shaped knob at the floor, a vase turning with gold, above that. Above the foot is a slightly-flaring faux-fluted leg in gold, black, and orange topped by ring turning and a front and sides is formed by a round-arched arcade painted gold, red, blue, and black. At the juncture with each front foot is a square patera outlined in red with a carved gold rosette inside. At the rear of each side seat rail is a "bridge" to a transitional block above the rear legs. This block also has a square patera with carved gold rosette and between the two rear transitional blocks, the rear stiles of the chair flare outward. Each stile comprises a ring turning (red and gold) above the block, an area of upside-down gold arches, more ring turning and then a column of faux fluting in gold, black, and orange painted in two sections. Above this are a ring turning, a gold capital of a double layer of simple carved leaves and a finial comprising a disc and sphere, gold, red, and black. Between the stiles is the circular back frame with a v-shaped transitional element at the upper juncture with the stiles, black with a stylized gold flower and an s-shaped top edge. The back frame has an ogee molding painted black and decorated with stylized anthemion palmettes outlined in gold and filled with blue rays. A red trefoil decoration appears between the tips of each palmette. The top of the crest is painted with a gold band decoration with a simple ornament at each end.
The chair upholstered in modern dark green silk velvet when purchased; reupholstered in 1213 by Elizabeth Lahikainen.
Condition: Numerous minor paint losses throughout, especially at normal wear points, i.e. crest, feet. Chips of wood missing at top of proper right bridge near seat; proper right rear transitional block near back stile; proper left transitional block, corner; lower edge of back medallion; back of proper left finial. Other smaller losses scattered throughout, especially on arcades. Crack near lower proper right joint in back frame of the chair back. Old filled areas on back of each transitional block. Proper left rear leg cracked on inside near transitional block. Under-side of seat has new black paint. Several pieces of wood have been removed from lower rear seat rail and from two of the arcade pendants, presumably for wood samples. All but one of these losses has been painted black. Corner blocks at front legs are modern additions. Upholstery at top back is loose. Upholstery on seat is stained.
MUSEUM LOCATION
This item is not on view
CAPTION
Side Chair, ca. 1868. Beech, pigment, modern upholstery, 29 x 18 1/4 x 18 1/4 in. (73.7 x 46.4 x 46.4 cm). Brooklyn Museum, H. Randolph Lever Fund, 81.56.2. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 81.56.2_threequarter_PS9.jpg)
IMAGE
threequarter, 81.56.2_threequarter_PS9.jpg. Brooklyn Museum photograph, 2014
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RIGHTS STATEMENT
Creative Commons-BY
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we welcome any additional information you might have.
Were people smaller?
No, not necessarily. Do you say that because of the size of the chairs? These were decorative, style based conventions more than anything.
In the adjacent room, you'll notice a sumptuous armchair that is quite similar to the scale of chairs we use today.
Tell me more.
As you may have guessed by its bright colors, this mid-19th century chair was re-upholstered a few years ago to restore it to its original glory. The paint on the wooden framing is original though!
