Italian, walnut, about 1550, 49/3234

Folding X frame armchair with multiple S-shape ribs and linking rods; the hinged back panel with scrolling outline and carved with an oval, containing a cartouche with helm, containing a rampant lion below a cross of St John. With ball handles, and loose handle rings, the arms carved with stylized palmette ornament in low relief. On two sled feet with lion's paw toes.

Wrongly numbered 5694-1859

Examined by NH 2007
All S ribs and straight slats appear ensuite and not obviously replaced.
The lifting back panel (fixed through a mortice at one end, with a cut-out at the other end), of scrolling profile and 19-21mm thick, with a punched upper border and moulded lower edge; the panel carved with a central oval containing a low relief strapwork cartouche on punched ground, with helm above, containing a ramant lion under a band with a cross of St John.
The arms with turned ball handle with flower carving on front, a double-ring loose over the wrist; the arm proper of tapering, square section, carved on its top surface in low relief with a flower, palmette and stylized leafy stem, the rear ends (on which the back panel sit) integral.
The front pair of S ribs carved on the front surface with a stylized flower and palmette repeating motif. All 22 S ribs with 4 parallel scored lines on their outer surfaces.
The sled feet with carved lion paws in front, 3 grooves to suggest a paw behind, and carved on the underside in a double-arch, with some punchwork near the front, and scratch moulding on the outside edge.
With a dark stain overall, worn in places to reveal pale wood.
Note that the s ribs are pegged into the arms and sleds with only 3 or 4 pegs; some of the ribs are wedged into the sled feet.
Overall: plausibly authentic, (damaged : worm under sled feet, missing front rosette, front S broken at sled foot, missing front seat slat and rearmost(?), all three seat rods broken, one rib with 2 points of paper strapping and a break.

Pair to 7191-1860.

On loan to Plymouth City Museum and Art Gallery from ca. 1951 - February 2014. On display at Buckland Abbey, Devon, until 1991.

This object was formerly part of the collections of Jules Soulages (1812 - 1856), and after being exhibited at Marlborough House between December 1856 and January 1857 was acquired by the South Kensington Museum for £15 in 1860.

See RF 49/3234

See Clive Wainwight, 'Models of Inspiration' in Country Life, June 9, 1988 pp 266-267 which discusses the acquisition of Soulages' collection.

The 'X' frame chair is very much associated, in the eyes of posterity, with the Middle Ages and Italian Renaissance. Dealers of the 19th and 20th centuries referred to them as "Savonarola" chairs, named after Fra Girolamo Savonarola (1452 - 1498), who is unlikely to have ever sat on such a seat! Large numbers of these chairs were made from about 1880 and found their way into middle-class households in Italy and throughout Europe, in keeping with the Renaissance Revival fashions, almost to the point where they became something of a cliché. Unfortunately many 'x' frame chairs were acquired by museums at this time under the illusion that they were authentic.

By the 16th century, chairs were more widespread than in previous centuries and they had lost much of the hierarchichal connotations that they had in the Middle Ages. It is noteworthy that as late as 1418 even the Medici had only six chairs in their residence in Florence. Although this example follows the 'x' frame pattern, long associated with Roman Emperors and Medieval princes, by about 1550 chairs were no longer entirely the preserve of the master of the house, and larger numbers were appearing in inventories. By 1609, even the hall porter in the household of Amerigo di Luca Pitti had two large cane-seated chairs (seggiolaccie alla pistolese) at his disposal.

with 19th century repairs

'X-frame' chairs were originally folding campaign stools, used by Roman Generals. They were adopted by emperors and potentates, although, by 1550, they had become less symbolic of power and authority than they had been in earlier centuries. This example, although restored, dates from about 1550, and would probably have been placed in a hall or chamber of a grand house. It formerly belonged to Jules Soulages of Toulouse (1812-1856), very much a pioneer in collecting decorative arts of the Renaissance. This type of chair was much copied from about 1880, when such tastes had become more fashionable, and most surviving examples date from about then.

7193-1860