Settee 1935 - 1942

This watercolor drawing depicts a Duncan Phyfe Settee. The settee’s design includes elements derived from ancient Greek and Roman forms, such as the curved legs terminating in claw feet. These feet are evocative of animal power and protection. Consider the lion's paw, a symbol used since antiquity, from the thrones of ancient rulers to Renaissance art. It represents strength, courage, and dominion. This motif, which resurfaces here in a domestic setting, reveals how symbols of power infiltrate everyday life. The claw foot, therefore, is not merely decorative but carries an emotional weight, linking the sitter to a lineage of authority and grandeur. This enduring symbol transcends mere design; it speaks to the collective memory of power and the subconscious desire for status and security.