Armchair (one of a pair) 1763 - 1775

Claude Chevigny crafted this armchair, one of a pair, in late eighteenth-century France. The carved and gilded frame and the silk upholstery decorated with birds and flowers evoke the luxury and refinement associated with the French aristocracy. Such furnishings played a vital role in shaping social rituals within elite circles, acting as both status symbols and settings for courtly life. The design is neoclassical and we see the chair has straight lines, symmetry, and motifs drawn from ancient Greek and Roman art, aligning it with the era’s fascination with antiquity. France at this time was on the brink of revolution, and the opulence of pieces like this was increasingly at odds with the poverty of the majority. When we interpret this chair, we can consult inventories, journals, and design treatises to understand the world of wealth and privilege that this object once inhabited, and consider the social forces that would soon sweep it away.