Design for a sedan chair
1770-1780
Classification
Drawing
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Gift of Mrs. Charles B. Alexander
Accession Number
1900-24-4
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
This elegant drawing, titled *Design for a Sedan Chair* and created between 1770 and 1780, offers a glimpse into the refined world of 18th-century transportation. Sedan chairs—enclosed, portable seats carried by two bearers on poles—were a hallmark of luxury for the urban elite in colonial America and Europe, shielding passengers from muddy streets and inclement weather before carriages or coaches became widespread. As a preparatory sketch in the Smithsonian American Art Museum's collection (gift of Mrs. Charles B. Alexander), it exemplifies the meticulous drafting techniques of the era, like...
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...