Side Chair
1791–1818
Medium
Mahogany, brass
Dimensions
32 3/4 x 17 3/4 x 16 1/4 in. (83.2 x 45.1 x 41.3 cm)
Classification
Side Chair
Culture
American
Department
The American Wing
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of C. Ruxton Love Jr., 1960
Accession Number
60.4.11
Art Historical Context
This elegant side chair, crafted by renowned American cabinetmaker Duncan Phyfe between 1791 and 1818, exemplifies the refined furniture of the early Federal period. Made from rich mahogany—a premium tropical hardwood imported for its durability and warm grain—accented with brass details, the chair measures a compact 32¾ x 17¾ x 16¼ inches, ideal for intimate dining rooms or parlors in prosperous American homes. Phyfe, a Scottish immigrant who established a prominent workshop in New York City became synonymous with neoclassical design, blending clean lines, subtle carving, and classical motifs...
About the Artist
Duncan Phyfe · 1770–1854
Duncan Phyfe (1770–1854) was a Scottish-born American cabinetmaker who became the most celebrated furniture maker in the history of American decorative arts. Born Duncan Fife near Loch Fannich in the Scottish Highlands, he emigrated with his family to Albany, New York, around 1783–84, where he apprenticed to a cabinetmaker. By 1792 he had established his own workshop on Partition Street (later Ful...