Pair of Side Chairs 1794 - 1799

Editor: Here we have a Pair of Side Chairs, crafted between 1794 and 1799 by Samuel McIntire. The dark wood and the plush upholstery give them an unexpectedly stern vibe, despite the decorative carvings. I’m especially drawn to the shield-shaped backs. What do you see in this piece that maybe I'm missing? Curator: Ah, missing? My dear, I see stories whispered from a grander age! These aren’t merely chairs; they're neoclassical poetry rendered in wood. McIntire, you see, he was breathing the same air as Jefferson, embracing that crisp, intellectual aesthetic. That shield back? It echoes ancient Roman virtue, a sturdy silhouette of civic duty softened by those delicate, almost musical carvings. Do you feel that tension, the blend of strength and grace? Editor: Definitely. So it's not meant to be comfortable so much as...aspirational? Curator: Precisely! Think of the salons they once graced. Conversation crackling with revolutionary ideas, fortunes being made and lost… these chairs weren't just providing a seat; they were props in a social ballet, silent witnesses to history in the making. Notice the restraint, the refined elegance, that says so much. No gaudy ornamentation here; it's all about proportion, balance, and a quiet, self-assured dignity. Editor: I guess I saw sternness, but you're right; it's more like dignified reserve. I wouldn’t have made that connection to Roman virtue, but it really clicks. Curator: Isn't that the joy of it? Art is never truly silent. These chairs, they sing to me of a past that’s both beautiful and… complicated, just like a good poem. I keep imagining these chairs having so much more to reveal… Editor: Definitely something to sit with! Thanks for opening my eyes to their… song.