Pair of Hall Chairs
c. 1720-30
Medium
Options
Dimensions
Each: 112.1 × 59.1 × 56.9 cm (44 1/8 × 23 1/4 × 22 3/8 in.)
Classification
chair
Department
Applied Arts of Europe
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
198302
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
This chair, part of a set commissioned by British politician Robert Walpole for Houghton Hall in England, combines both Asian and European design elements. The back and seat are crafted from Chinese lacquer and mounted on an English frame of gilded wood. In the early 1700s Europeans could not replicate the distinctive lustrous finish of Asian lacquer, made from layers of dried tree resin, so they relied on imports of the material. The lacquered panels here were likely made in Canton (now Guangzh...
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...