Side chair
Dateca. 1795-1800
Maker
Jean-Baptiste Sené
French, 1748 - 1803
Label TextA wonderful example of Sene's finely executed carving is seen in the lions' heads that decorate the armchairs in this suite of four chairs. Each bears a proud, but individually distinct expression. The animal heads, paw feet, and vertical reed-like decoration are elements from the Louis XVI Etruscan style. These chairs, however, were made during the Directoire (1795-1799), the government of the French Republic. They exhibit a simple form and natural, ungilded wood that reflects the austere republican spirit and rejection of the excesses of the monarchy. Jean-Baptiste Sene, an important cabinet maker in the court of Louis XVI, survived the revolution by adopting the restrained style of the Directoire.
Object number97.44.1.3
Exhibition HistorySeattle, Washington, Seattle Art Museum, "The Plestcheeff Collection", May 8, 1998 - December 3, 1999Credit LineThe Plestcheeff Collection
MediumMahogany and fabric
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