Gilded and painted American side chair. The back of this chair is an open oval decorated with a painted vine motif. The center of the oval has five graceful green leaves rising from a bow at the center bottom of the oval. The center leaf is painted with vines. The squared legs are painted on the front with a cascade of leaves falling from a bow. The wide, curved seat is upholstered in brown and tan striped fabric that has solid panels alternating with a floral motif.
American, Philadelphia
Side Chair,
1796
Painted and gilded wood
,
98 x 53.5 x 47 cm (38 9/16 x 21 1/16 x 18 1/2 in.)
Object details
Accession number
F17w2
Primary Creator
American, Philadelphia
Full title
Side Chair
Creation Date
1796
Provenance
Probably purchased by Salem merchant and art collector Elias Hasket Derby (1739-1799) for 40.60 pounds in 1796 through his Philadelphia agent Joseph Anthony.
Entered Isabella Stewart Gardner's collection at an unknown date.
Dimensions
98 x 53.5 x 47 cm (38 9/16 x 21 1/16 x 18 1/2 in.)
Display Media
Painted and gilded wood
Web Commentary
Isabella Stewart Gardner kept meticulous records of many of her acquisitions. In keeping with this legacy, object information is continually being reviewed, updated, and enriched in order to give greater access to the collection.
Permanent Gallery Location
Short Gallery
Bibliography
Edwin J. Hipkiss. "Notes on Samuel McIntire and Elias Hasket Derby's Furniture." Bulletin of the Museum of Fine Arts (1934), pp. 13-16. (as an English maker in Philadelphia, as dated 1796)
Gilbert Wendel Longstreet and Morris Carter. General Catalogue (Boston, 1935), p. 133. (as English, Hepplewhite style; dated late 18th century)
Joseph Downs. "Derby and McIntire." Metropolitan Museum of Art Bulletin (1947), p. 78. (on the set of related chairs, as American, Hepplewhite style; dated 1796)
Deborah Gribbon. "Report of the Curator." Fenway Court (1982), p. 64. (as English, dated late 18th century)
Rights and reproductions
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Isabella Stewart Gardner kept meticulous records of many of her acquisitions. In keeping with this legacy, object information is continually being reviewed, updated, and enriched in order to give greater access to the collection.