Armchair
Dateca. 1795-1800
Maker
Jean-Baptiste Sené
French, 1748 - 1803
Label TextThe lions’ heads that decorate these chairs exemplify the fine carving skills for which Jean-Baptiste Sené’s workshop was known. Each lion bears a proud, individually distinct expression. Although the animal heads, paw feet, and vertical reed-like decoration echo Louis XVI Etruscan style, these chairs were made during the Directoire (1795-99), after the revolution ousted the monarchy. Sené, an important cabinetmaker in the court of Louis XVI, survived the revolution by adopting the restrained style of the new French Republic. Simple forms and natural, ungilded wood reflect its austere spirit and rejection of imperial excesses.
Object number97.44.1.2
Photo CreditPhoto: Nathaniel Willson
Exhibition HistorySeattle, Washington, Seattle Art Museum, "The Plestcheeff Collection", May 8, 1998 - December 3, 1999Credit LineThe Plestcheeff Collection
MediumMahogany, modern upholstery
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