Side Chair
Unknown Artist
1795–1800
Medium
Painted maple with ash
Dimensions
38 x 21 1/2 x 19 in. (96.5 x 54.6 x 48.3 cm)
Classification
Side Chair
Culture
American
Department
The American Wing
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Mrs. Samuel Auchmuty Tucker, 1947
Accession Number
47.80.1
Art Historical Context
This elegant side chair, crafted between 1795 and 1800, exemplifies the practical yet refined furniture of the early American Republic. Made from painted maple with ash, it hails from the Federal period, a time when neoclassical tastes influenced domestic design following the Revolutionary War. Maple, a hardy native wood, provided a smooth surface ideal for painting, allowing artisans to mimic the luxurious graining of imported mahogany at a more accessible cost. The ash likely reinforced structural elements, showcasing the resourceful use of regional materials in American workshops. Painted ...