Chair

Gallery 102, American Art, first floor (Miller/Worley Gallery)

Main Building

Chair

1769

Attributed to Benjamin Randolph (American, 1737–1791) Carving attributed to Hercules Courtenay (American (born England), 1744–1784) Carving attributed to John Pollard (American, 1740–1787) Commissioned by Elizabeth Lloyd Cadwalader (American, 1742–1776)

This side chair was one of a set commissioned by John and Elizabeth Lloyd Cadwalader for their opulent Philadelphia home. Much of the furniture in the Cadwalader's house reflected Mrs. Cadwalader's preference for the English Rococo style. This chair's proportions, the design of the carved splat, and the shape of the seat all adhere to the prevailing Philadelphia style of the mid-eighteenth century, while the hairy paw carved feet and over-the-rail upholstery suggest the special nature of the commission. The chairs had two sets of loose covers-a common cover in "furniture check" or gingham, and the blue silk cover with long, silk fringe reproduced here.

Gallery 102, American Art, first floor (Miller/Worley Gallery)

Object Details

Titles:

Chair

Date:

1769

Artists:

Attributed to Benjamin Randolph (American, 1737–1791) Carving attributed to Hercules Courtenay (American (born England), 1744–1784) Carving attributed to John Pollard (American, 1740–1787) Commissioned by Elizabeth Lloyd Cadwalader (American, 1742–1776)

Medium:

Mahogany, white cedar; replacement upholstery

Dimensions:

38 7/16 x 23 3/4 x 21 5/8 inches (97.7 x 60.3 x 54.9 cm)

Classification:

Furniture/Furnishings

Credit Line:

Purchased with the Fiske Kimball Fund, the John T. Morris Fund, and with funds contributed by Marguerite and Gerry Lenfest, The Richard Chilton Foundation, H. Richard Dietrich, Jr., Robert L. McNeil, Jr., Fitz Eugene Dixon, Jr., Mrs. E. Newbold Smith, Charlene Sussel, Anne H. and Frederick Vogel III, Andrew M. Rouse, and Dr. and Mrs. Robert E. Booth, 2003

Accession Number:

2003-108-1

Geography:

Made in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, North and Central America

Context:

Period: Colonial

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Gallery 102, American Art, first floor (Miller/Worley Gallery)

Main Building

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