Chippendale Chair
Thomas Chippendale Chairs
THE CHAIRS that Chippendale created and reproduced in his book The Gentleman and Cabinet-Maker’s Director (1762) offer a sample of the various design trends in the mid to late 18th century, such as Rococo, Chinese, Gothic, and Neoclassical. Chippendale’s name has become generic for 18th-century furniture and, in particular, chairs, but his designs borrowed from published English and French work. His most original work can be found in his Neoclassical pieces, which he created from 1760 onwards, inspired by the interiors of architect Robert Adam. Despite the variety of influences on his designs, many Chippendale chairs follow a basic pattern, with their stylistic influence being most obvious in their carving. Therefore, while most chair backs had pierced and interlaced splats with carved scrollwork, it is the shape and carving that reveals the
predominant influence: cartouche shapes and scrolling acanthus for Rococo, Gothic arches, Chinoiserie fretwork, and interlacing ribbons, or the lyre and fan shapes typical of Neoclassicism. The importance of deep-cut, detailed carving in Chippendale’s designs meant that mahogany was most commonly used, although provincial versions were still often made in walnut or fruitwoods.
The top rails of the chairs were usually serpentine in shape, sometimes ending in carved ears, with stiles curving outwards. Most of them had squared or trapezoidal seats, and while Chippendale preferred stuff-over upholstery, many cheaper or colonial versions had slip-in seats. Designs often had different front and back legs. The front legs could be cabriole with a claw-and-ball foot, tapered, or straight with stretchers. Mahogany is well suited for the elaborate carving of the back splat.
The drop-in seat is upholstered in pale yellow floral silk damask.
Rear legs were often simply chamfered, as these chairs were placed against the wall.
The cabriole front legs terminate in elegant carved scroll feet.
DINING CHAIR
This mahogany chair, part of a set of 11 together with one later copy, has a serpentine top rail above an interlaced, pierced splat headed by C-scrolls carved with leaves. The cabriole legs are flanked by C-scrolls, also carved with leaves, and the legs taper towards scrolled toes. c.1775.
NEW HAMPSHIRE DINING CHAIRS
Each of these mahogany dining chairs has a serpentine top rail with rounded shoulders and flaring stiles with scribed borders. The interlaced back splat includes an inverted heart cut-out shape. The over-upholstered, seat is a trapezoidal shape and has a serpentine front. The piece is supported on square-moulded, chamfered legs. The legs of the chair are joined by recessed box stretchers. The chairs retain an old or original finish, and are attributed to Robert Harold of Portsmouth. c.1765-75.
ENGLISH DINING CHAIRS
The serpentine top rail of each mahogany chair is carved at the shoulders with scrolls and foliage. The pierced, vase-shaped back splats are carved with acanthus and trailing foliage. The curved arms with scrolling ends have downward-sweeping supports, and stretchers join the straight front legs and sweeping back legs. The saddle-shaped seats are covered in red leather with a double row of studs. c.1770.
ENGLISH DINING CHAIRS
These mahogany chairs have serpentine top rails carved with trailing acanthus and side rails with flowers and trelliswork. The pierced, vase-shaped back splats are carved with acanthus and rocaille. The curved arms have downward-sweeping supports. The chairs have drop-in seats with egg-and-dart-moulding on the seat rails. The square front legs have chamfered back corners and foliate brackets, while the back legs are sweeping.
AMERICAN CARVED SIDE CHAIR
This walnut chair has a serpentine top rail centred by a carved shell over a pierced, vase-form splat. It has a moulded seat rail, padded drop-in seat, cabriole legs, and claw-and-ball feet. Late 18th century.
ENGLISH DINING CHAIR
This mahogany chair has an arched, moulded top rail and carved shells at the corners of the uprights, in the centre of the pierced splat, and at the centre of the shaped apron. c.1770.
AMERICAN ARMCHAIR
This mixed wood armchair from Philadelphia has a serpentine top rail, an urn-shaped splat, and flared arms with scrolled knuckles. It has a straight seat rail, a slip seat, cabriole legs, and pad feet. Mid to late 18th century.
GEORGE III ARMCHAIR
This child’s open mahogany armchair has a serpentine top rail and a ladder-back splat. The scroll arms have fluted uprights. The stuff-over seat rests on square, tapering legs. c.1790.
GEORGE III SETTEE
This early George III mahogany chair-back settee has a C- and S-scroll top rail above two pierced, vase-shaped splats with an open outscrolled arm at each end. The stuff-over seat rests on chamfered, square- section legs joined by stretchers.
COLONIAL INDIAN SIDE CHAIR
This Asian hardwood chair has a serpentine top rail above a pierced, vase-form back splat. The shaped seat rail has a padded drop-in seat. The cabriole legs have acanthus-carved knees. c.1770.
AMERICAN DINING CHAIR
This is one of a pair of fine Delaware Valley walnut chairs. Each has a serpentine top rail centred by a carved shell over a pierced, vase-form splat. The moulded seat rail has a drop-in seat. c.1770.
CHIPPENDALE’S CHAIR DESIGNS
In the notes that accompany his illustrative plates, Chippendale wrote that there “are various designs of chairs for patterns. The front feet are mostly different, for the greater choice.” Elsewhere, he was more specific, as with his instructions that chairs should be upholstered in the same material as the window-curtains and the height of the back should seldom exceed 55cm (22m) above the seat — although sometimes these dimensions could be less to suit the chairs to the room.
Chippendale felt that “seats look best when stuffed over the rails and have a
brass border neatly chased; but are most commonly done with Brass Nails, in one or two Rows.” Despite the number of designs in his Director, not all the chair patterns that are termed “Chippendale” are included: the ladder-back design, for example, does not appear.
Chippendale’s designs for chairs and backs of chairs were perhaps the most influential of his designs to appear in the Director. His designs were interpreted by craftsmen throughout the world, who
followed his instructions to varying degrees, and so increased the variety of “Chippendale” chairs.
Tags: 18th century furniture, Cabinet, cabinet maker, cabriole, chair backs, Chippendale Chairs, design, English, fruitwoods, George III, mahogany, mahogany chair, Neoclassicism, pattern, robert adam, Rococo, settee, side, thomas chippendale