Armchair 1877 - 1880

Editor: This is Henry Hobson Richardson's "Armchair," dating from between 1877 and 1880. It’s a wooden piece, currently residing at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. What strikes me is the exposed structure, the bones of the chair itself. What's your read on it? Curator: It's funny you call them bones; I feel like I’m staring into the soul of the armchair. Richardson, in my view, offers an incredible honesty. Look how the carved details contrast with the raw, unfinished parts. Almost like showing the public and private faces. Editor: So it's a bit of a study in contrasts, then? Public versus private, refined versus rough? Curator: Exactly. And it speaks to the Arts and Crafts movement's ethos – truth to materials, celebrating the handcrafted. The carving is intricate, almost medieval in its density, wouldn't you agree? But then the unvarnished frame shouts 'industrial age' with a 'make it work' ethos. Do you get that? Editor: I do now! It’s like the chair is having an internal debate about what it wants to be: ornate art piece or functional object? Curator: Maybe it doesn’t have to choose! That's the magic, isn't it? Richardson found a way for it to be both. Did you also notice how monumental the chair seems even without any fabric upholstery? It holds its own, confident in its structure. Editor: Absolutely. I came in expecting furniture, but I’m walking away contemplating the tensions between design and utility. Curator: That’s the joy of Richardson. Always challenging our assumptions with what appears ordinary! A new type of beauty emerges from seeing things as they really are...imperfections, awkwardness, and all.