Side Chair
Furniture MakerMade by
Hitchcock, Alford and Company
(American, 1832 - 1843)
Date1832-1843
MediumWood, cane, green, gold and black paint
DimensionsPrimary Dimensions (overall height x width x depth): 34 x 18 x 21 5/8in. (86.4 x 45.7 x 54.9cm)
ClassificationsFurniture
Credit LineGift of The Hitchcock Chair Co., Ltd.
Object number2004.24.1
DescriptionGreen painted side chair in the Empire, or late neoclassical, style, with a turned crest rail, front legs, and stretchers, and a trapezoidal cane seat. The back of the chair is formed by a turned crest rail atop two stiles. Below the crest rail are two slats between the stiles; the top slat is taller than the slender slat below. The crest rail and slats are bowed back slightly in the center. Above the seat, each stile is curved back and has flat front and side surfaces over a band of four turned rings just above the seat. Below the seat, each stile forms a cylindrical back leg over a tapered foot. Each side seat rail is bowed down in the center and has a scrolled front that corresponds to the circular scroll of the horizontal front seat rail. Each front leg supports the front seat rail, and is raked slightly out from top to bottom. Each front leg is turned with baluster and ring forms over a tapered ankle and foot. The front of the chair has a single stretcher turned with ring and baluster forms. Each side of the chair has two plain, turned stretchers. The back of the chair has a single plain, turned stretcher.
Painted Decoration. The chair has an over all green and brown painted surface, with gold stenciled over. The center of the crest rail has a stenciled decoration of a geometric design flanked by a stylized tulip and abstract leaves. A similar design is stenciled on the front of the upper stiles. The upper slat has a gilded design of an urn blanked by stylized flowers; to each side of this is a vertical band of rope. The chair has gold and black bands outlining the turned rings on the stiles, front legs, and front stretcher. Thin lines of black paint outline the stencils, the crest rail, upper stiles, slats, and turned front stretcher.
Condition: The paint is flaking off the front and back of the upper stiles, the back of the crest rail, both sides of each slat, the top left stretcher, the front seat rail, and the front legs and front stretcher.
Design and Construction Details: The crest rail is joined to each stile with a lap joint at the top back of the crest rail; this joint is secured with a nail or screw through the back that is concealed with filler. Each slat is tenoned into the upper stiles. The seat is constructed of four seat rails; the cane seat is woven through holes at the interior edge of each seat rail. The back seat rail is tenoned into the stiles; it is deeper than the stiles. The side seat rails are tenoned into the ends of the back seat rail and into the front seat rail. The front seat rail is supported on a tenon at the top of each front leg. The stretchers are tenoned into the legs.
Painted Decoration. The chair has an over all green and brown painted surface, with gold stenciled over. The center of the crest rail has a stenciled decoration of a geometric design flanked by a stylized tulip and abstract leaves. A similar design is stenciled on the front of the upper stiles. The upper slat has a gilded design of an urn blanked by stylized flowers; to each side of this is a vertical band of rope. The chair has gold and black bands outlining the turned rings on the stiles, front legs, and front stretcher. Thin lines of black paint outline the stencils, the crest rail, upper stiles, slats, and turned front stretcher.
Condition: The paint is flaking off the front and back of the upper stiles, the back of the crest rail, both sides of each slat, the top left stretcher, the front seat rail, and the front legs and front stretcher.
Design and Construction Details: The crest rail is joined to each stile with a lap joint at the top back of the crest rail; this joint is secured with a nail or screw through the back that is concealed with filler. Each slat is tenoned into the upper stiles. The seat is constructed of four seat rails; the cane seat is woven through holes at the interior edge of each seat rail. The back seat rail is tenoned into the stiles; it is deeper than the stiles. The side seat rails are tenoned into the ends of the back seat rail and into the front seat rail. The front seat rail is supported on a tenon at the top of each front leg. The stretchers are tenoned into the legs.
Status
Not on view
