Garden Chair
1815-1830 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Object Type
This chair is rare both because it is made of wrought iron, a material not usually used for garden furniture, and because of its unusual design. Wrought iron was mainly used for railings, gates and window frames. Most garden furniture of this date and earlier was wooden and has not survived, but can be seen in illustrations. After 1830 cast iron was commonly used for garden furniture.
Materials & Making
The crude method of construction suggests that the chair was made by a rural blacksmith, probably the result of an individual commission. The iron straps and rods are standard sizes, riveted and welded together. It was originally painted to prevent rusting, but was already stripped when the V&A acquired it. Microscopic examination of tiny remnants of paint have shown that the chair was originally painted green, and was repainted 20 times, each colour change comprising up to three layers of paint. This chair must have been kept under cover to have survived so long.
Design & Designing
The back of the chair has a pointed arch design with three lancets and quatrefoil, or four-lobed shape. This simple curving design was ideally suited to wrought iron. It was probably taken from a window design in a wrought iron pattern book. Gothic windows with pointed arches, inspired by those in medieval churches, were thought suitable for chapels and garden summer-houses.
This chair is rare both because it is made of wrought iron, a material not usually used for garden furniture, and because of its unusual design. Wrought iron was mainly used for railings, gates and window frames. Most garden furniture of this date and earlier was wooden and has not survived, but can be seen in illustrations. After 1830 cast iron was commonly used for garden furniture.
Materials & Making
The crude method of construction suggests that the chair was made by a rural blacksmith, probably the result of an individual commission. The iron straps and rods are standard sizes, riveted and welded together. It was originally painted to prevent rusting, but was already stripped when the V&A acquired it. Microscopic examination of tiny remnants of paint have shown that the chair was originally painted green, and was repainted 20 times, each colour change comprising up to three layers of paint. This chair must have been kept under cover to have survived so long.
Design & Designing
The back of the chair has a pointed arch design with three lancets and quatrefoil, or four-lobed shape. This simple curving design was ideally suited to wrought iron. It was probably taken from a window design in a wrought iron pattern book. Gothic windows with pointed arches, inspired by those in medieval churches, were thought suitable for chapels and garden summer-houses.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Wrought iron, originally painted green |
| Brief description | An armchair of wrought iron, the back in the form of three lancets below a quatrefoil , the outer frame of the back continuing down to form the back legs. These, and the front legs, are supported on broad pad feet. The arms and arm supports are made in one piece, of lighter iron straps than the back and legs, curling under on the lower front edge at each side. The seat frame is of iron straps, with a central support running front to back, underneath an upper surface of laterally set, closely spaced rods. The legs are joined by an H-form stretcher. The chair is constructed of two widths of iron strap, slightly curved in section, and two widths of iron rod. The chair was probably originally painted green. |
| Physical description | An armchair of wrought iron, the back in the form of three lancets below a quatrefoil , the outer frame of the back continuing down to form the back legs. These, and the front legs, are supported on broad pad feet. The arms and arm supports are made in one piece, of lighter iron straps than the back and legs, curling under on the lower front edge at each side. The seat frame is of iron straps, with a central support running front to back, underneath an upper surface of laterally set, closely spaced rods. The legs are joined by an H-form stretcher. The chair is constructed of two widths of iron strap, slightly curved in section, and two widths of iron rod. The chair was probably originally painted green. |
| Dimensions |
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| Style | |
| Gallery label | British Galleries:
The Gothic style was especially associated with garden buildings and furniture from the mid-18th century onwards. The robust material and the broad pad feet of this light and portable chair were particularly suitable for garden use. It is made of standard iron rod, crudely put together by a rural blacksmith, and would have been softened with a cushion when in use.(27/03/2003) |
| Historical context | The domed feet of the chair would allow the chair to be used on a lawn as well as in a conservatory or on a terrace. |
| Summary | Object Type This chair is rare both because it is made of wrought iron, a material not usually used for garden furniture, and because of its unusual design. Wrought iron was mainly used for railings, gates and window frames. Most garden furniture of this date and earlier was wooden and has not survived, but can be seen in illustrations. After 1830 cast iron was commonly used for garden furniture. Materials & Making The crude method of construction suggests that the chair was made by a rural blacksmith, probably the result of an individual commission. The iron straps and rods are standard sizes, riveted and welded together. It was originally painted to prevent rusting, but was already stripped when the V&A acquired it. Microscopic examination of tiny remnants of paint have shown that the chair was originally painted green, and was repainted 20 times, each colour change comprising up to three layers of paint. This chair must have been kept under cover to have survived so long. Design & Designing The back of the chair has a pointed arch design with three lancets and quatrefoil, or four-lobed shape. This simple curving design was ideally suited to wrought iron. It was probably taken from a window design in a wrought iron pattern book. Gothic windows with pointed arches, inspired by those in medieval churches, were thought suitable for chapels and garden summer-houses. |
| Bibliographic reference | Elizabeth White, ''Polished Perches: The Evidence for English Painted Wooden Furniture in Eighteenth-Century Gardens', in Painted Wood: History and Conservation. Proceedings of a Symposium organized by the Wooden Artifacts Group of the American Institute for Cosnervation of Historic and Artistic Works, Williamsburg, Virginia, November 1994, published by The Getty Conservation Institute, Los Angeles, 1998, pp. 128-142, this chair discussed on page 128 and in note 2. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | W.11-1977 |
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| Record created | March 27, 2003 |
| Record URL |
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