Side Chair 1770 - 1775

Curator: Welcome. Today, we're examining a "Side Chair," crafted by Thomas Affleck between 1770 and 1775. It’s currently held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Editor: My immediate impression is one of restrained elegance. The wood's dark, polished surface gives it a stately air, while the floral upholstery hints at a domestic cosiness. The proportions seem carefully considered for maximum stability. Curator: Note the interplay of forms. The cabriole legs terminate in ball-and-claw feet. The curved back splat and the floral seat, create an interesting dialogue of shape. Editor: Indeed. The ball-and-claw feet often symbolize power and dominion, a kind of controlled aggression tamed beneath the sitter's weight. It hints at the wealth and status of the owner. Does the intricate back splat have similar cultural associations? Curator: The back splat presents a wonderful study in negative space, a design language. Its abstract shape and use of geometric forms offers both balance and asymmetrical focal point when considered from various angles. It's a structural achievement as much as decorative flourish. Editor: I can certainly see the formal strength of this structure, though I feel compelled to suggest this baroque form invokes power—not just brute strength but lineage and the claim to legacy—perhaps in a fledgling nation finding its own voice. It represents the adoption of old-world symbols to build new world identities. Curator: And the craftsman would certainly understand that tension. The choice of the wood speaks to available material within the environment and speaks to practical considerations as well as aesthetic choices. Editor: So, through its very form and embellishments, this side chair isn't just something to sit on but a loaded emblem that bears visual symbols. Curator: Precisely. When one views it without its symbolic association, one will notice its pure form, structure, and craft. Editor: A very fruitful, contrasting analysis. This side chair clearly reveals more than initially meets the eye; the symbols resonate through generations, still capable of invoking narratives of power.