Chair (one of a pair)
c. 1730
Medium
Padauk and modern textile
Dimensions
107 × 54 cm (42 1/8 × 21 1/4 in.)
Classification
furniture
Department
Applied Arts of Europe
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
266208
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
This chair’s splat back and curving cabriole legs reflect trends in English furniture of the early 1700s. Its exaggerated proportions and dense ornament, however—such as the interlaced strapwork on the back and lion masks on the feet—indicate that it was made by a Chinese furniture maker for the English market. European merchants living in China during the busy trading season equipped their temporary residences with locally produced furniture, often Chinese interpretations of European models. Th...
About the Artist
Unknown
The artist designated as "Unknown" in our virtual museum's collection exemplifies a poignant chapter in art history: creators whose identities have faded into obscurity despite the enduring power of their work. With only one known artwork attributed to them in our holdings, this figure represents countless anonymous hands that shaped visual culture across centuries. Museums worldwide, including th...