Cane couch

Unknown

1690–1710 · Beech · The American Wing

Although referred to by the English as a couch, this one-ended caned seat was a form favored in France and sometimes referred to as a "lit de repose," or daybed. It probably served a dual purpose—as an extra bed at night and extra seating during the day. The seat is softened by a “squab,” or generously stuffed mattress. Cane couches often were accompanied by sets of cane chairs, as in the Wentworth Room. In 1717, a New England man named John Welland noted that his principal room held “a Cane Couch[,] Squab & pillow” along with [an] “Elbow & 6 small cane chairs.”

Artist

Unknown

Date

1690–1710

Medium

Beech

Culture

American

Department

The American Wing

Credit line

Gift of Mrs. Russell Sage, 1909