Side Chair 1857 - 1860

This side chair was made by Léon Marcotte in the 19th century. Notice the delicate ornamentation at the top, a motif known as a crest. Crests have adorned furniture and architecture since antiquity. They are not merely decorative; they are laden with significance, often acting as markers of status, family lineage, or symbolic authority. Think of the helmets of antiquity, or the crowns of monarchs – all variations on the crest, elevating the bearer. The very act of placing an emblem at the highest point suggests a reaching toward the heavens, toward some form of higher power. This upward striving is an archetypal human aspiration. From the Gothic cathedrals that pierce the sky to the modern skyscrapers that dominate our cityscapes, this impulse reveals itself. This chair, in its own way, echoes that yearning, connecting us to a timeless and universal desire for transcendence.