Chair
Benjamin Henry Latrobe

Details
Title
Chair
Artist/Maker
Benjamin Henry Latrobe (American, 1764-1820), Philadelphia, designer
George Bridport (American, born England 1783-1819), decorator
Hugh Finlay (American, born Ireland, active ca. 1800-1837), fabricator
John Finlay (American, born Ireland, active ca. 1799–1833), fabricator
Date
ca. 1808
Medium
Painted and gilded yellow poplar, oak, maple, white pine, and cane
Dimensions
34 3/8 x 17 1/2 x 16 1/2 inches
Credit
Purchase with funds from the Decorative Arts Acquisition Endowment
Accession #
1984.47
This Baltimore klismos (a form of ancient Greek chair with splayed, curved legs) epitomizes the American Empire style. Reflecting the French interpretation of Roman and Greek arts, the chair shows the archaeological influence that pervaded this early-nineteenth-century classical revival. The chair’s details suggest the work of architect Benjamin Latrobe, whose design for similar chairs was among the furnishings of the White House during James Madison’s administration.
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