Italian, Venice
Seat from a Gig (Sedia per Calesse), early 18th century
Painted and gilded walnut , 100 x 88.7 x 45 cm (39 3/8 x 34 15/16 x 17 11/16 in.)
General admission for children 17 years and under is always free
This elegant chair was made for a gig, a light two-wheeled carriage suitable for one person. The walnut frame of the chair is painted in a deep shade of red, with painted and gilded scenes. Most of the scenes feature two people sitting and standing next to a body of water. Tendrils curl around the seat and tie together the various scenes. The inside of the chair is upholstered in a cream silk brocade with repeating stripes and floral sprays. The base of the chair curves out widely to form the four legs. Each pair of legs rests on a slender, carved and gilded wooden base.
Veronese Room
Commentary
This elegant chair was made for a gig, a light two-wheeled carriage for one person. Surviving detached gig seats are sometimes erroneously called gondola chairs. Indeed, it was called this by Isabella Gardner. According to Morris Carter, the museum’s first director, she was carried around her museum in it after being paralyzed by a stroke in 1919. Its Asian figures in landscapes, accompanied by flowers and shell motifs of applied and painted pastiglia on a deep red ground, are characteristic of Venetian furniture made to imitate Chinese lacquer.