Chair
1780–1790
Classification
furniture
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Museum purchase through gift of various donors
Accession Number
1901-39-439
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
Step into the elegant world of late 18th-century Italian design with *Chair* by Giuseppe Barberi (1746–1809), crafted between 1780 and 1790. Barberi, a prominent Roman architect and ornamental designer, was a key figure in the Neoc movement, drawing inspiration from ancient Greek and motifs unearthed in archaeological digs like Pompeii. This period marked a shift from the ornate Rococo style toward clean lines, symmetry, and classical proportions, reflecting Enlightenment ideals of reason and antiquity. As a piece of furniture in the Smithsonian Art Museum's collection—acquired through the ge...