Object of the Day: A Rococo Chair

In Eighteenth-Century England, a resurgence of interest in Gothic architecture gave way to an embracing of the asymmetry, florid lines and playfulness of the French Rococo Style. The term 'Rococo' is based on the French "rocaille," which describes the intricate curvilinear rock and shell work of the grottoes of Versailles. Rococo designs were lighter versions of Baroque style, choosing to rely on natural shell-like forms, s-curves, and artistic fluidity. While as the style was considered “too French” by most English architects, it was a source of inspiration for designers of furniture and the decorative arts.


This hand-carved maple chair comes from England and, I’m told, is attributed to the skilled carver, Thomas Johnson who worked in London in the mid-to-late Eighteenth Century. Johnson was one of the most successful furniture makers of the English Rococo Style. The chair dates to about 1790.

The chair has been reupholstered in pine green velvet. The fabric was changed before I purchased the chair. The original upholstery was a gold damask pattern that was in very poor condition. While the current upholstery is nearly twenty years old, the chair still retains its original horse-hair stuffing. Beautifully carved and in pristine condition, this chair was in the collection of a prominent Chicago Family before being willed to a Texas family who sold the chair. I was fortunate to find this magnificent piece. I’ve only sat in it four times in the eight years it has resided here. Bertie, however, sits in it as often as he can get away with.