Stool

ca. 1800 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Object Type
The design of the stool closely follows that of a marble seat in an unspecified location in Rome. Here the stool is made from beech wood, painted in white and grey to simulate the appearance of marble. Beech wood would have been much easier and less costly to carve than marble, and resulted in a more flexible seat which weighed less and could be moved around without difficulty.

People & Places
Charles Heathcote Tatham (1772-1842), the designer of this stool, arrived in Rome in July 1794. He stayed for two years gathering material for his significant of designs of ancient ornamental architecture. While in Italy Tatham not only drew and sketched, he also bought a large number of antique fragments for his employer and mentor, Henry Holland (1745-1806) who was architect to the Prince of Wales. These fragments are now in the possession of the Soane Museum, London. Letters from Tatham to Henry Holland, describing this period of his life in Rome, can be examined in the V&A 's Print Room (museum nos. D.1479 to1551-1898).

Design & Designing
Tatham's book, Etchings of Ancient Ornamental Architecture drawn from the Originals in Rome and other Parts of Italy..., was an immediate success. A second and third edition were issued in 1803 and 1810 respectively, and the style of linear engravings it employed was copied by Thomas Hope in Household Furniture and Interior Decoration... (1807).

Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Beechwood, painted to imitate marble
Brief description
Beechwood stool, carved with imitation drapery and painted to resemble marble. English, ca. 1800. Designed by Charles Heathcote Tatham.
Physical description
Rectangular stool on four rectangular tapering legs, with three deep flutes on the two outside faces, waisted above the curved feet which have indented fronts. The legs support roundels with concave moulded edges and four leaf rosettes carved into the fronts, and these project above the level of the seat. The stool is carved with fringed drapery, which is looped up behind the edges of the roundels and hangs down on all sides in rich folds.
Dimensions
  • Width: 24.5in
Dimensions checked: Measured; 08/05/2001 by AN
Gallery label
(pre October 2000)
HALL SEAT
ENGLISH; about 1800
Beech painted to imitate white marble with grey veins

The design is inspired by a drawing of a marble classical Roman seat, published by Charles Heathcote Tatham in his 'Etchings Representing the Best Examples of Ancient and Ornamental Architecture', 1799. The seat was painted white and gold during this century, but has now partly been stripped to reveal the original marbled paintwork. The pair to this seat is at Temple Newsam, Leeds.
This is based on an antique Roman marble seat illustrated by Charles Heathcote Tatham in his 'Etchings of Ancient Ornamental Architecture', published in 1799. Tatham had visited Italy and made drawings of excavated 'ancient' furniture. His book provided British designers with ideas for furniture in the Greek Revival style.
Credit line
Purchased with the assistance of the Brigadier Clark Fund through Art Fund
Object history
The stool is one of a pair from the Neave Collection at Dagenham Park, Essex. The pair to it is at Temple Newsam House, Leeds. The stools were formerly in the collection of Mrs Lancaster.

Historical significance: This stool is based upon a design by Charles Heathcote Tatham, 'Etchings Representing the Best Examples of Ancient Ornamental Architecture', 1799, Plate XIII.

A pair of stools of similar design, in giltwood, with drapery of red velvet, was sold from the collection of Della Howard, by Bonham's, 7 July 2021 (lot number not noted but published in the saleroom column of Country Life 28 July 2021 (vol. CCXVIII, no. 30), p. 115. Another of very similar form (also with drapery in fabric and fringing) was offered for sale by Christie's, London, 24 April 2008, lot 6.
Summary
Object Type
The design of the stool closely follows that of a marble seat in an unspecified location in Rome. Here the stool is made from beech wood, painted in white and grey to simulate the appearance of marble. Beech wood would have been much easier and less costly to carve than marble, and resulted in a more flexible seat which weighed less and could be moved around without difficulty.

People & Places
Charles Heathcote Tatham (1772-1842), the designer of this stool, arrived in Rome in July 1794. He stayed for two years gathering material for his significant of designs of ancient ornamental architecture. While in Italy Tatham not only drew and sketched, he also bought a large number of antique fragments for his employer and mentor, Henry Holland (1745-1806) who was architect to the Prince of Wales. These fragments are now in the possession of the Soane Museum, London. Letters from Tatham to Henry Holland, describing this period of his life in Rome, can be examined in the V&A 's Print Room (museum nos. D.1479 to1551-1898).

Design & Designing
Tatham's book, Etchings of Ancient Ornamental Architecture drawn from the Originals in Rome and other Parts of Italy..., was an immediate success. A second and third edition were issued in 1803 and 1810 respectively, and the style of linear engravings it employed was copied by Thomas Hope in Household Furniture and Interior Decoration... (1807).
Collection
Accession number
W.2-1975

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Record createdJune 11, 1998
Record URL
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