Armchair (Primary Title)
Unknown (Artist)
As the Reverend Andrew Burnaby observed in 1760, Philadelphia “is in a very flourishing state, and inhabited by merchants, artists, tradesmen, and persons of all occupations. . . . The streets are crowded with people, and the river with vessels.” This dynamism extended to the city’s furniture design, which represented the most exuberant interpretation of the Chippendale style. Based primarily on the third and expanded 1762 edition of Thomas Chippendale’s famous pattern book, The Gentleman and Cabinet-Maker’s Director, the style’s energy derived in part from the sculptural relationship between positive and negative space, displayed here in a bold serpentine crest rail, snaking arms, pierced vasiform splat, and sweeping cabriole legs ending in ball-and-claw feet
Colonial
Gift of Mrs. Charles Dexter in celebration of VMFA's 75th anniversary
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.