Pair of Side Chairs
1760–80
Medium
Mahogany, white pine, American sweetgum, and upholstery
Dimensions
Each: 94.6 × 57.8 × 47.6 cm (37 1/4 × 22 3/4 × 18 in.)
Classification
seating
Department
Arts of the Americas
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
14401
Art Historical Context
This elegant pair of side chairs, crafted between 1760 and 1780, exemplifies the refined craftsmanship of colonial American furniture from the Arts of the Americas Produced during a pivotal era just before and after the American Revolution, these chairs would have graced the parlors of prosperous households, serving as both functional seating and symbols of social status. Their generous dimensions—nearly 37 inches tall—suggest they were designed for formal entertaining, reflecting the growing sophistication of American domestic life as the colonies asserted cultural independence from Europe. ...