Side Chair
Artist unknown
1730–60
Medium
White pine and upholstery
Dimensions
106.4 × 52.7 × 40.6 cm (41 7/8 × 20 3/4 × 16 in.)
Classification
seating
Department
Arts of the Americas
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
55376
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
The triangular trade with the West Indies and England created by merchants in Newport—one of the busiest commercial seaports in colonial America—had an impact on the artistic styles developed in the region. The elongated back and rounded shoulders on this chair were inspired by furniture made in China specifically for the English market.