Design for a Chair and Three Designs for Ceiling Molding
19th century
Medium
Pen and brown ink
Dimensions
a: 8 9/16 x 10 11/16 in. (21.8 x 27.2 cm) top b: 6 x 9 1/8 in. (15.2 x 23.2 cm) bottom
Classification
Drawings
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund, 1966
Accession Number
66.631.115a, b
Rights
Public Domain
Tags
Art Historical Context
This delicate pen and brown ink drawing from 19th-century France presents a "Design for a Chair and Designs for Ceiling Molding showcasing the era's fascination with elegant interior decoration. The top sheet measures 8 9/16 x 10 11/16 inches, featuring a refined chair design, while the sheet, at 6 x 9 1/8 inches, three variations of ceiling moldings adorned with palmettes—stylized fan-shaped motifs inspired by ancient Greek and Roman art. These neoclassical elements reflect the French Revival styles of the period, blending classical symmetry with practical furniture and architectural embellis...
About the Artist
Anonymous, French, 19th century · 1800–1900
**Anonymous, French, 19th Century (ca. 1800–1900)** The artist cataloged as Anonymous, French, 19th century embodies the enigmatic yet essential contributions of unidentified creators to France's vibrant 19th-century art world. Active roughly between 1800 and 1900, this figure—or potentially collective workshop—produced a diverse array of works amid the nation's transition from Neoclassicism thro...