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Side Chair Rendered by Frank Wenger watercolor, colored pencil, and graphite on paperboard, 36.3 x 30.1 cm (14 5/16 x 11 7/8 in.) Index of American Design 1943.8.4289 |
Object 25 of 26
After about 1810, Sheraton furniture became heavier than that of earlier years and gradually developed into what is called "Regency," a style named after the regency of George IV in England. The Regency style represented a second phase of classicism and was strongly influenced by the forms of ancient furniture rather than by decorative motifs alone. Furniture designed to reproduce ancient models was favored in America during the Regency period, which lasted through the 1820s, and reflected fashions in both England and France. This Regency-style chair was made by Duncan Phyfe, the prolific New York cabinetmaker of the nineteenth century. It represents his second period of furniture design based upon classical models and is distinguished from his earlier work in which Sheraton's influence prevailed. The design of this chair is based on the "klismos," an ancient Greek chair form with incurved legs and with the seat rail and back in an unbroken curve. Phyfe introduced this form into American furniture design.
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