Armchair 1830 - 1835

Curator: Oh, this armchair speaks of elegant repose, doesn't it? The piece dates back to 1830-1835. We’re looking at one of Duncan Phyfe’s creations. It resides here at The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Editor: It has a regal presence! Something about the cherry wood, with that vibrant, red fabric – it commands respect, almost like a throne shrunk down for parlors. I wonder who sat in it and what stories they’d tell. Curator: Precisely. Phyfe was a master of Neoclassicism, wasn’t he? Look at how those clean lines meet the scrolled arms and how those lines seem to echo forms from ancient Greek and Roman furniture. Editor: Totally. It feels familiar but not...lived-in. Does that make sense? Like it’s more for show than for actually sinking into with a cup of tea. I’d be afraid of spilling something on that immaculate fabric, wouldn’t you? The patterns, are they symbols? Curator: Yes, the details certainly add layers. The floral motifs woven into the upholstery were often used to represent prosperity, love, beauty - virtues which society prized at that time. Editor: That deep red too, right? Evokes courage and power? It all contributes to the feeling of someone very particular and probably important taking a seat. The red, in particular, seems symbolic of social and personal power. Do you think people saw color like that back then? Curator: Most certainly! Colors, symbols were very deliberate choices, functioning as visual shorthand for broader social values and aspirational identities. Editor: It’s wild to think about chairs having these identities. Today it seems the personality of chairs involves a cup of coffee or, for those who are very clumsy, a stain. Curator: Indeed. To sit in this armchair was to perform, to embody specific ideals within the domestic sphere, very different from, say, sinking into your sofa today. Editor: A stylish social contract in wooden form! What an experience – I guess the sitter was not simply lounging back. He or she was negotiating one’s position in society through an exquisitely designed stage prop. Food for thought for all future seating. Curator: An observation which is, in my estimation, beautifully stated. Editor: My sentiments exactly. Now if you'll excuse me, I see a bench beckoning to be contemplated over by a rather thoughtful set of thoughts!