Joined armchair
Unknown Artist
1690–1720
Medium
Black walnut
Dimensions
45 1/2 x 22 x 23 1/4 in. (115.6 x 55.9 x 59.1 cm)
Classification
Joined armchair
Culture
American
Department
The American Wing
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund, 1948
Accession Number
48.61
Art Historical Context
Step into the elegant simplicity of colonial American life with *Joined Armchair*, crafted between 1690 and 1720 by an unknown artisan. Made from rich black walnut—a durable, dark hardwood harvested from America's eastern forests—this armchair measures 45½ x 22 x 23¼ inches, offering a sturdy seat for the period's elite households. Its "joined" construction highlights masterful woodworking techniques, likely employing mortise-and-tenon joints to assemble the frame, a hallmark of 17th- and early 18th-century furniture making that prioritized strength and longevity over ornate decoration. House...