Side Chair
Unknown Artist
1795–1805
Medium
Mahogany, ash
Dimensions
36 3/4 x 20 3/4 x 18 in. (93.3 x 52.7 x 45.7 cm)
Classification
Side Chair
Culture
American
Department
The American Wing
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Bequest of Adeline R. Brown, 1947
Accession Number
48.135.93
Art Historical Context
This elegant side chair, crafted between 1795 and 1805 by an unknown American artisan, exemplifies the refined furniture of the early Federal period in the United States. Made from rich mahogany—a premium imported wood symbolizing luxury and status—with ash for structural elements, it measures 36 3/4 x 20 3/4 x 18 inches, perfectly scaled for comfortable seating in genteel homes. The Federal style drew inspiration from classical antiquity, reflecting the young nation's admiration for democratic ideals of ancient Greece and Rome, featuring clean lines, tapered legs, and subtle ornamentation sui...