Hitchcock Chair Back

Art Historical Context

**Hitchcock Chair** *Lawrence Flynn, 1936* Watercolor, colored pencil, gouache and pen and ink on paper, 35.5 × 27.7 cm (14 × 10 7/8 in.) *Index of American Design, National Gallery of Art* by artist Lawrence Flynn in 1936, this rendering captures the ornate back of a classic Hitchcock chair, a hallmark of early 19th-century American furniture craftsmanship. Lambert Hitchcock's chairs, produced in Connecticut from the 1820s onward, were renowned for their affordable elegance, featuring boldly stenciled motifs like fruits, eagles, and scrolls on black lacquered frames. Flynn's detailed study preserves these decorative elements with precision, highlighting the chair's role in democratizing stylish home furnishings during America's federal period. As part of the Index of American Design—a New Deal-era Federal Art Project (1935–42)—this work reflects a national effort to document and celebrate everyday American folk art amid the Great Depression. Flynn employed a rich mix of watercolor, gouache, colored pencil, and pen and ink on paper to vividly recreate textures, vibrant colors, and fine lines, making the ephemeral designs feel tangible. Housed in the National Gallery of Art, it underscores the cultural value of vernacular objects, bridging historical craftsmanship with modern preservation.

About the Artist

Lawrence Flynn · 1900–1973

Lawrence Flynn (1900–1973) was an American artist born in New Haven, Connecticut, where he attended the city's public schools. He pursued formal art training at the Art Students League in New York, studying anatomy under the renowned instructor George B. Bridgman, whose anatomical teachings profoundly influenced generations of artists. Flynn also honed his skills at the Yale School of Fine Arts, t...