A Superb Neoclassical Giltwood Armchair of Impressive Scale

A Superb Neoclassical Giltwood Armchair of Impressive Scale
Rome. Circa 1780.
Measurements
Height: 40" (101.6 cm); Width: 31 1/4" (79.5 cm); Depth: 27" (68.6 cm); Seat Height: 19 3/4" (50.2 cm).

Research:
Of carved giltwood. The curved rectangular upholstered back with channeled frame carved on all sides with continuous bands of laurel garland, the outswept padded arms framed by conforming bands of carving, with a rosette at each intersection with the uprights, above a seat rail of carved with bands of laurel and berry pendants with fluted panels at the corners. The whole raised on four saber legs headed by classical female masks above conforming garlands on each side and terminating in leaf carved tapering feet.

This unusual armchair, which retains all its superb gilding, belongs to a distinct group of related seat furniture which leading Italian decorative arts scholar, Mario Tavella, has suggested may have once hailed from a single, as yet unknown Roman palace. The richly carved suites were made in two variants, sharing form and decoration so similar, it follows that they must have been conceived by the same designer and originated from the same workshop.

Their concept reflects the “extreme versatility of Roman decorators and craftsmen in designing ever-changing forms for the furniture produced during the last quarter of the 18th century,” and the distinctive curved structure of the chairs from this group marks them out as unique in European early neoclassical design. Furthermore, they share the same level of continuous intricately carved detail to the rear aspect, confirming they were freestanding. In an age where aristocratic Italian palace salons invariably had seating placed around the perimeter of the room set against the walls, this model, therefore, represents a complete departure from the norm.

As “the first Italian city to reveal a genuine interest in Neoclassicism,” Rome was a center of production for avant garde furniture in the neoclassical period. This was a time of high invention when the motifs and symbols of ancient civilizations were combined with more traditional forms to produce adventurously eclectic designs. “After the age of major architectural achievements, the great papal families seemed primarily interested in remodeling and expanding the interiors of their palaces, embellishing them with decorations and frescoes in keeping with the new taste.” Although the designer and workshop of the present chair, and associated seating groups, has yet to be discovered the unusual and elegant design ranks it among “the very finest models within the repertory of Roman neo-classical chairs.”

Full research report available on request.