Side Chair 1815 - 1820

John Finlay crafted this side chair, its neoclassical form adorned with potent symbols, during the early 19th century. Look closely at the chair back: griffins flank an urn, motifs deeply embedded in the classical vocabulary. Griffins, creatures of myth with the body of a lion and the head and wings of an eagle, were guardians of treasure. These symbols of power and vigilance hearken back to antiquity, echoing forms found in ancient Greek and Roman art. Now, consider their appearance here on an everyday object. It reflects a desire to imbue the domestic sphere with the grandeur and moral authority of the classical past. The repetition of stylized palmettes, as seen on the chair, draws us into the cyclical nature of history itself. This once sacred symbol of triumph and eternal life, has been reimagined and repurposed to suit the aesthetic sensibilities of a new era. Through cultural memory, these ancient motifs continue to resonate and evoke a sense of timelessness.