Desk chair
During the mid-eighteenth century, French menuisiers or joiners made both practical and elegant chairs, specifically for use behind a desk. By changing the traditional layout of a chair, they created a so-called fauteuil de cabinet or office armchair. For greater stability, they placed one upright in front so that the user could arrange his legs on either side. With their undulating outline, these chairs have a rounded back offering support for the upper body while the curving arms are provided for additional support. During the second half of the eighteenth century, a variant was introduced, a chair with a rotating seat, to allow the user greater mobility. This kind of swiveling office chair remained popular until the early nineteenth century.
The back and rotating seat of this desk chair are caned, an exotic material made of bark of the Rattan tree, a climbing palm that grows in South East Asia. The bark was cut into strips and passed through holes in the chair frame and cross-crossed to form a fine mesh. First introduced into Europe in the later seventeenth century, caning was used for dining chairs and for those placed at the dressing table or behind a desk: it was not only light and sturdy but also practical since it was water and stain resistant.
The back and rotating seat of this desk chair are caned, an exotic material made of bark of the Rattan tree, a climbing palm that grows in South East Asia. The bark was cut into strips and passed through holes in the chair frame and cross-crossed to form a fine mesh. First introduced into Europe in the later seventeenth century, caning was used for dining chairs and for those placed at the dressing table or behind a desk: it was not only light and sturdy but also practical since it was water and stain resistant.
Artwork Details
- Title: Desk chair
- Date: ca. 1760
- Culture: French
- Medium: Carved and gilded beechwood, caning; modern red leather
- Dimensions: H. 38-1/2 x W. 26-3/4 x D. 22 in. (97.8 x 67.9 x 55.9 cm)
- Classification: Woodwork-Furniture
- Credit Line: Purchase, Mrs. Charles Wrightsman Gift, 1988
- Object Number: 1988.131
- Curatorial Department: European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
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