Italian
Pair of Carved Armchairs, 16th/17th century
On view
Walnut with blue velvet, gold silk appliqué, and gold-tasseled fringe
Dimensions44 × 22 1/2 × 17 in. (111.8 × 57.2 × 43.2 cm)
Gift of Viola E. Bray, 2005.138.2
A chair in an Italian Renaissance home was more than just a place to sit: it displayed the family’s wealth, status, and cultural refinement. Chairs were often symbolic, with the largest and grandest being reserved for the most important person in the household – usually the father or an honored guest. Materials, as well as carved ornament, were very important in the construction of such an object.
