Side Chair
Léon Marcotte
ca. 1860 · Ebonized maple, brass, gilded brass, reproduction upholstery · The American Wing
A French émigré with shops in Paris and New York, Léon Marcotte was one of the most sought-after professional decorators and cabinetmakers during the mid-nineteenth century. His Parisian connections attracted wealthy clients eager to decorate in the latest French styles. This chair is part of a suite of furniture owned by John Taylor Johnston. A railroad executive and the first president of The Met, Johnston used the furniture in the music room of his residence at 8 Fifth Avenue. The delicate neoclassical form and ornament reference French Louis XVI–style furniture, and the classical lyre on the backsplat befitted its use in a music room.
- Artist
- Léon Marcotte
- Date
- ca. 1860
- Medium
- Ebonized maple, brass, gilded brass, reproduction upholstery
- Culture
- American
- Department
- The American Wing
- Credit line
- Gift of Mrs. Douglas M. Moffat, 1968
