Armchair (Primary Title)

Unknown (Artist)

ca. 1790–1800
American
mahogany inlaid with holly; yellow pine (secondary wood); reproduction wool-taffeta moreen upholstery
United States,Northern Virginia (probably)
Overall: 36 1/2 × 24 × 20 in. (92.71 × 60.96 × 50.8 cm)
95.81
A testament to the powerful and rapid influence of English design manuals of the late 18th century, this armchair was produced in the American South only a few years after George Hepplewhite published its prototype in his 1787 pattern book. Craftsmen from Boston to Charleston quickly duplicated Hepplewhite’s furniture concepts but introduced subtle regional differences. Believed to be one of the few surviving examples crafts in northern Virginia, this chair offers an unusual but successful blending of Hepplewhite’s shield back with a graceful saddle seat.
not marked
Floyd D. and Anne C. Gottwald Fund
Image released via Creative Commons CC-BY-NC

Some object records are not complete and do not reflect VMFA's full and current knowledge. VMFA makes routine updates as records are reviewed and enhanced.