Corner Chair 1880 - 1881

This mahogany corner chair was crafted by Sypher and Company, a New York-based cabinet maker, in the late 19th century. Reflecting the opulence of the Gilded Age, this chair is an example of revivalist furniture that reimagines earlier styles. With its cabriole legs terminating in ball-and-claw feet, and decorative carvings, this chair is a reference to the Queen Anne and Chippendale styles of the 18th century. Such objects provided a sense of history and refinement, valuable assets in a rapidly changing society marked by industrialization and immigration. However, this pursuit of historical authenticity also served to reinforce existing social hierarchies. Furniture like this would have been at home in the drawing rooms of the wealthy, spaces where social status was performed and maintained. What narratives of power are embedded in this chair and the spaces it occupied? The chair is no longer just a piece of furniture. It stands as a silent witness to the complexities of identity, class, and taste in a bygone era.