Side Chair 1791 - 1818

Editor: We're looking at a Side Chair made sometime between 1791 and 1818 by Duncan Phyfe. It’s currently held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. What strikes me immediately is the juxtaposition of delicate lines and what appear to be strong, solid wood. How do you read this piece? Curator: Ah, yes, Duncan Phyfe. This chair… it whispers of status, doesn't it? Neoclassicism in furniture isn’t just about straight lines; it's about reimagining Roman elegance for a new republic. Those curved legs – wouldn’t you agree they resemble a Roman curule seat? A seat of power and authority, softened for a domestic setting. How does that influence your sense of its “delicate” lines versus solid structure? Editor: That connection to the curule seat is brilliant! It makes me rethink the chair’s purpose. It’s not just a place to sit. Now, the details jump out too - those carved details on the crest rail. Curator: Exactly! Each element, from the laurel wreaths – symbols of victory – to the reeding on the legs, are not accidental. What would it feel like to own this chair back then? Almost to make a statement about yourself? Editor: It's like displaying your knowledge of classical virtues... in your choice of furniture! Sort of an "I'm educated, I'm cultured" without saying a word. So, It is more than functional. Curator: Precisely. And this wasn’t for everyone. A chair like this suggested prosperity and sophisticated taste. This chair served a much larger social narrative! We also see those details mirrored by a craftsman obsessed with the design integrity of a unified whole, top to bottom. And for you? Editor: It changed how I looked at decorative art and see beyond pretty shapes, right into a narrative of status and style. Curator: Then its place is well-deserved and will hopefully be remembered for generations!