This pair of chairs is part of an extensive suite of furniture made for Philadelphian William Wain to furnish a new house that Benjamin Henry Latrobe designed for him between 1805 and 1808.  Latrobe’s relatively archaeologically correct interpretation of the Greek klismos form draws on the designs of Thomas Hope published shortly before and represents perhaps the earliest documented example of the style in the United States. The overall form, with severe rectangular lines and wide tablet, is a distinctive Philadelphia type (see B.69.72.1­–.2). However, the painted decoration seems to have no parallel in other Philadelphia furniture, although very closely related painted decoration is documented to Baltimore. Likewise, the design of the en suite card table and pier table does not resemble that of other Philadelphia examples but relates to pieces made in Baltimore. By 1809 Latrobe was designing similar furniture for the White House, which, although possibly made in Philadelphia, was decorated in Baltimore. What remains unclear, then, is whether these chairs were made and painted in Philadelphia, made in Philadelphia and decorated in Baltimore, or made completely in Baltimore.

Technical notes: Painted and gilded yellow-poplar, oak, maple, and eastern white pine (not analyzed microscopically). The chairs survive with original gilded caning in their backs. Removal of the composition molding screwed to the seat rails revealed consistent tacking patterns, tack holes, and tack heads, as well as silk fiber remnants, indicating some sort of upholstery detail, perhaps tassels suspended by cords. The same tacking patterns are seen on the PMA chairs (see Related examples). Similar composition molding appears on the skirts of the en suite card and pier tables, sofa, and window seats.

Related examples: To date fifteen chairs have come to light. They are in MMA; PMA; Saint Louis Art Museum: High Museum, Atlanta; Kaufman Collection, Norfolk, Virginia: and a private collection. The decoration on the backs of each is unique. For full illustrations, see Lindsey 1991. Latrobe’s drawing for the White House chair is also illustrated in that article. For Baltimore examples that relate to the card and pier table, see Elder 1972, nos. 46, 53.

Book excerpt: David B. Warren, Michael K. Brown, Elizabeth Ann Coleman, and Emily Ballew Neff. American Decorative Arts and Paintings in the Bayou Bend Collection. Houston: Princeton Univ. Press, 1998.