Pair of side chairs
Unknown Artist
ca. 1700
Medium
Walnut, velvet (modern)
Dimensions
Each: H. 54-3/4 x W. 22-1/2 x D. 19 in. (139.1 x 57.1 x 48.3 cm)
Classification
Woodwork-Furniture
Culture
Dutch
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Irwin Untermyer, 1964
Accession Number
64.101.909, .910
Art Historical Context
These elegant pair of side chairs, crafted around 1700 in the Netherlands, exemplify the refined craftsmanship of Dutch furniture during the late Baroque period. Standing at over 54 inches tall, their slender proportions and sturdy walnut frames were designed for formal interiors, where such chairs flanked dining tables or lined grand reception rooms in prosperous burgher homes. The unknown artisan's work reflects the Dutch mastery of woodworking, with smoothly turned legs and subtle moldings that prioritize functionality and understated luxury over ornate excess. Fashioned from durable walnu...