Armchair 1867 - 1870

Curator: Ah, isn't it fascinating? We're looking at an armchair, crafted sometime between 1867 and 1870 by the talented Owen Jones. Currently residing at The Art Institute of Chicago, it showcases an elaborate carving on wood. Editor: Well, it certainly throws you back to another time, doesn’t it? That plush red cushion against the ornate dark wood… It’s like a throne shrunk down to parlor size. Kinda imposing and inviting at once, wouldn't you say? Curator: Exactly! It is part of the Arts and Crafts movement and very indicative of the decorative art of the period. Jones, in particular, drew so much of his inspiration from non-Western designs, blending it into his aesthetic—there's definitely something that you could say looks like "ethnic design." Editor: Right. It speaks of the desire to integrate global motifs, creating an exotic visual vocabulary. Those curving cutouts, are those flowers and are those abstracted animal forms that are peeking at us? The high-backed chair itself becomes almost a crown of interwoven cultural symbols. Curator: Precisely, there's almost a desire to represent harmony through decoration! But let's not forget the practical— the wood, that crimson fabric all contribute to a sense of lived luxury, doesn’t it? A world away from our minimalist aesthetic today! Editor: Oh, utterly! One can almost feel the weight of velvet on skin and how hard and unforgiving that ornately crafted back must have felt digging into your shoulder. Beyond aesthetics, the image acts like a sensory portal into this whole interior life of Victorian upper class, full of gestures and poses dictated by décor. Imagine, you are in the dark room, with a single light source coming into this beautiful art piece. Curator: Yes. Well said! Editor: After this chat, I won’t just see a chair, but an archive of desires, beliefs and histories seated right here. Curator: And hopefully, we have managed to transmit our curiosity onto you as well.