Side Chair
Medium
Maple, beech
Dimensions
37 15/16 x 18 9/16 x 15 1/2 in. (96.4 x 47.1 x 39.4 cm)
Classification
Side Chair
Culture
American, Shaker
Department
The American Wing
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Friends of the American Wing Fund, 1966
Accession Number
66.10.24
Art Historical Context
This elegant side chair, crafted by members of the United Society ofievers in Christ’s Secondaring—commonly known as the Shakers—between 1830 and 1850, exemplifies the pinnacle of American vernacular design. Made from sturdy maple and beech woods, compact dimensions (37 15/16 x 18 9/16 x 15 1/2 inches) made it ideal for the communal living spaces of Sh villages, where simplicity and utility reigned supreme. The Shakers, a celibate religious sect founded in 18th-century England and flourishing in the U.S., produced furniture in self-sustaining communities from Maine to Kentucky, emphasizing hon...