Side Chair (Primary Title)
Unknown (Artist)
This side chair boasts its original cane seat, a rare and fragile remnant of a taste popular in America beginning in the late 17th century. The use of caning had many advantages: an inexpensive alternative to costly textiles like silk, wool, and cotton, it was also hygienic, being easy to clean and resistant to bugs. For decorative purposes and greater comfort, chairs like this one were often fitted with an additional slip seat that could be inserted over the caning in cooler months. Alternately, seats could be dressed with cushions or “squabs,” as the nearby couch demonstrates.
Mary Morton Parsons Fund for American Decorative Arts
Image released via Creative Commons CC-BY-NC
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