Design for a sedan chair
1775â80
Medium
furniture
Classification
furniture
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Gift of Mrs. Charles B. Alexander
Accession Number
1900-1-22
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
Step into the elegant world of 18th-century American transport with this *Design for a Chair* (1775–80), a captivating blueprint from the Smithsonian American Art's furniture collection. Created by an unknown artist during the eve of the American Revolution, design captures the ingenuity of colonial craftsmanship. Sedan chairs—enclosed, portable litters borne by two carriers on poles—were a luxurious alternative to horse-drawn carriages in crowded urban streets, favored by the elite for their privacy and convenience. In late colonial America, such chairs status and refinement, often adorned w...
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...