Side chair

Victor Horta

ca. 1902 · Mahogany · Modern and Contemporary Art

Victor Horta, the Belgian architect, was one of the principal originators of the Art Nouveau style in the 1890s. In reaction to late nineteenth-century historical revivals, these fin-de-siècle designers sought to create an original style, one that was characterized by asymmetrical, curvilinear decoration derived from nature. This side chair is a masterly essay of the serpentine line in every element: seat profile, stretchers, and subtly carved crest rail.

Artist

Victor Horta

Date

ca. 1902

Medium

Mahogany

Department

Modern and Contemporary Art

Credit line

Purchase, Peter Palumbo Gift, 1987