Ladderback Chair 1935 - 1942

Albert Ryder made this watercolour painting of a ladderback chair at an unknown date. At first glance, it's just a simple chair, but it speaks volumes about early twentieth-century American design and the artistic values of the time. Painted in the 20th century, this image probably wasn't intended as a portrait of a specific chair. Instead, it's more likely a study of form and design. Ladderback chairs were a common, vernacular design, and the image suggests an interest in the everyday, the functional, and perhaps even the handmade. This aesthetic ties into the Arts and Crafts movement, which championed traditional craftsmanship against industrial production. To understand this piece better, we might look into design catalogs and manuals from the early 1900s. Considering the social context of art production and the institutions that supported certain styles are key to unpacking this artwork.