Side Chair

Henry Ingle

1795–1810 · Mahogany · The American Wing

Furniture historians debate whether this chair and its companion (1971.180.16) originated in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, or South Carolina. Although the molded front legs, stretchers, and serpentine-front saddle seats are more frequently found in Philadelphia seating furniture, the secondary woods used in the seat frame-yellow pine and oak-are more typical of a southern locale. The design of this chair's back was taken directly from George Hepplewhite's "The Cabinet-Maker and Upholsterer's Guide" (1788). Carved chairs with upholstery over the rail were formal enough for a parlor setting, but the durable horsehair cover made them suitable for use in the dining room as well. This chair and its companion form a set with ten straight-front side chairs (1971.180.18–.27).

Artist

Henry Ingle

Date

1795–1810

Medium

Mahogany

Culture

American

Department

The American Wing

Credit line

Bequest of Flora E. Whiting, 1971